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    Constantino pounces on late Avaricio letdown to snatch Pradera title

    Ababa seizes lead after 67 in men's tournament
    Oct 27, 2022
    harmie constantino
    PHOTO: PGT

    LUBAO, Pampanga – Harmie Constantino held steady as Chanelle Avaricio floundered in a pressure-packed backside duel between the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour’s top players to snatch a one-stroke victory at the ICTSI Pradera Championship.

    Constantino fought back from two shots down with nine holes to go, birdying the par-5 12th for the second straight day then watching Avaricio hobble home with a spate of bogeys to win for the first time outside of Eagle Ridge-Aoki.

    “I just avoided making mistakes and making more putts than anyone else,” said Constantino, who took control by two as the two-day leader fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 11, 13 and 14.

    Both dropped shots on the tough par-4 16th with Constantino closing out with a two-over 74 for an even 216. Avaricio holed out with a birdie for a 76 and a 217.

    jhonnel ababa

    In the men's tournament, Jhonnel Ababa sizzled with a tournament-best 67 to blow past halfway leader Tony Lascuna and move closer to ending a Philippine Golf Tour dry spell.

    It was Constantino’s third victory, worth P168,750, in a young pro career she launched with two victories in a bubble setup last year, both at Eagle Ridge-Aoki. But she failed to figure in title chases until Avaricio’s uncharacteristic windup.

    “My game was pretty consistent despite the wind conditions and course set-up, which was a little bit harder, with pins on tough spots. But I stayed patient,” she added.

    But she later admitted she had no expectations this week, saying she didn’t have a great season. “I just went out there and tried to play well, play good golf.”

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      Avaricio simply lost her touch, rhythm and focus with late bogeys that foiled her drive for a fourth championship after topping the Hallow Ridge and the Caliraya Springs legs, both last April, and the sixth stop of this year’s LPGT here last June where she routed the field by six.

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      The former Alabama State U star looked headed to re-stamping her class in her LPGT return after clinching a spot in Stage II of the LPGA Q-School. But after a blistering opening 67, she fumbled with a 74 and barely held a one-stroke lead heading to the last 18 holes of the P1.25 million championship.

      She settled for the P108,750 runner-up prize.

      Gretchen Villacencio rallied with the day’s best 71 to snare third place honors at 218 worth P93,750, while Pamela Mariano carded a 74 and tied erstwhile third-running Florence Bisera, who limped with a 76, at 219.

      Ababa's back-to-back 71s and a five-under card netted him a 54-hole aggregate of seven-under 209 and a two-shot cushion over Lascuna and Dutchman Guido Van der Valk heading to the final round of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship.

      The Calatagan pro has not won since ruling the ICTSI Del Monte Championship in 2019 after coming off a prolific season when he won five titles, including four in PGT Asia and the inaugural ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational, in 2018.

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      Van der Valk bucked what he termed as a “dull” backside stint to shoot a second straight 70 that proved enough to tie him at second with Lascuna, who settled for a 72, at 211, while Keanu Jahns sneaked into contention with a gutsy 71 for a 213.

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      PHOTO: PGT
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