HARMIE Constantino battled back from six shots down in regulation with a scorching back-nine rally for a 68 then drained a 12-foot birdie putt in sudden death to beat Daniella Uy and snare the ICTSI Luisita Championship crown on Thursday in Tarlac.
Constantino had a 79 in the second round, entered the final day four shots off Uy and slid further with bogeys in the first two holes on Thursday.
But she birdied No. 5 and gained another stroke on the ninth to match Uy’s frontside 36 then made things happen in the last seven holes, coming through with a flurry of birdies, including three straight from No. 12 before holing out with another for a 218 total.
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Uy birdied the 10th to pad her lead to five but bogeyed Nos. 12 and 13 in a costly four-shot swing and though she birdied the difficult 17th to regain the lead, the former Junior World champion failed to match Constantino’s closing birdie and signed for a 72 and a two-over overall total.
Constantino birdied the first playoff hole from an uphill lie as Uy flubbed a downhill putt from just about the same distance.
“No idea I could still come back from four shots down and go into a playoff … not until I reached No. 18 and had a birdie putt. I told myself that this is my last chance of making something,” said Constantino, who bagged P93,750 from the P750,000 pot.
The former national amateur champion annexed her fifth career victory, including two at Eagle Ridge-Aoki where she marked her pro debut in 2021 and wins at Pradera Verde and Villamor last year.
Sarah Ababa carded a 73 to place third at 219 while Florence Bisera turned in a second straight 74 for fourth at 224.
Korea’s Kim Seoyun, who moved into contention with a second round 70, faded with five bogeys in the first seven holes, limping with a 78 for fifth at 225 while Gretchen Villacencio and Pamela Mariano matched 226s after a 74 and 75, respectively.
Chihiro Ikeda shot a 76 for eighth at 232 while Apple Fudolin and Korean Yang Ju Young assembled identical 235s after a pair of 78s.
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