JHONNEL Ababa charged back with three late birdies, firing a 71 to edge Guido van der Valk and Joenard Rates for the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters crown on Saturday at the Villamor Golf Club.
Ababa appeared headed for a runaway win after rattling off three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 13 for a three-stroke lead over the erstwhile co-leaders. But the ace Davaoeno shotmaker pulled his tee-shot into the water on Villamor’s signature hole the way he did in the third round, ending up with another double-bogey and paving the way a close finish in the P2.5 million championship.
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But Van der Valk and Rates flubbed their birdie bids on the 72nd hole and matched 74s, enabling Ababa to hoist the trophy with a four-day total of three-under 285 worth P450,000.
“Despite trailing most of the way, I knew I had a chance. I told myself that I needed just two birdies at the back to gain a shot (at the crown). Eh, naka-tatlo pa,” said Ababa, who became the third player to win the Masters crown since the event was revived in 2017 topped by Clyde Mondilla with Jerson Balasabas winning the following year. The tournament was shelved from 2019 to 2022.
Van der Valk and Rates split the combined P465,000 second and third place prizes after posting identical 286s, while Keanu Jahns also carded a 71 for solo fourth at 287.
Reymon Jaraula matched par-72 for the second straight day and ended up fifth at 288 while Korea's Min Seong Kim rallied with the day’s best 68 to clinch sixth place at 289 followed by Nilo Salahog and Fidel Concepcion, who tied for seventh at 290 after a 73 and 74, respectively.
Young Korean Hyun Ho Rho also charged home with a 69 for ninth at 291 while Marvin Dumandan, tied with Ababa after third after 54 holes, hobbled in a rare championship flight stint, limping with a 78 and tumbling to 10th at 292.
Gary Sales took low amateur honors despite a 78 as he tied for 16th with Balasabas, who shot a 72, with 296.
In the end, it was Ababa who came out on top while snapping a long spell marred by endgame meltdowns, including at the Pradera Verde Championship last year which he led in the third round, only to waver at the finish and lose by one to van der Valk.
This time, he did it in come-from-behind fashion.
“After I went 3-up, sabi ko, panalo na ‘to. Pero na-kabig ko ang tee-shot ko sa 17th. Ayun at na-double (bogey) uli. Nag-5 din ako sa third round kaya wala talaga akong swerte sa hole na un,” rued Ababa.
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