LUBAO, Pampanga – One week he scaled the mountain. The next, he conquered the plains.
From the demanding slopes and severe elevation changes of Pinewoods in Baguio to the sprawling wind-swept fairways of Pradera Verde's Arayat course, Lloyd Go proved that truly elite players aren't defined by the courses they play – but by how quickly they adapt.
Go makes it back-to-back
After overpowering Pinewoods with a dominant 12-shot victory, Go showcased an entirely different brand of golf at the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship, grinding out a pressure-packed final-round 71 to win rare back-to-back titles on the Philippine Golf Tour.
Unlike his runaway triumph in Baguio, this victory demanded everything from the Cebuano ace. He finished with a nine-under-par 279, edging veteran Tony Lascuña by one to pocket the P359,000 top prize.
“I played very well yesterday (third round) and I played the front nine today really solid,” said Go of the strong start that kept his experienced rivals at bay.
Lascuña snapped a run of backside pars with a birdie on the last for a 70 and a 280 total worth P234,000, his second runner-up finish after previously falling by a single stroke to Angelo Que in a dramatic late-hole duel at Caliraya Springs.
Keanu Jahns also mounted a late challenge, birdieing three of five holes starting at No. 9. However, costly bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 halted his momentum, leaving him with a 71 for solo third at 282, while erstwhile second-running Clyde Mondilla failed to recover from a front-nine 38 and faltered with a 74 for fourth at 283.
Angelo Que also struggled with a two-over-par round to finish fifth at 285, while Jhonnel Ababa matched par 72 to tie Rupert Zaragosa, who limped home with a 76, for sixth place at 286.
Randy Garalde, at joint third with Zaragosa just two strokes off Go after 54 holes, skied skied to a 79 and tumbled to 10th at 289.
Armed with two straight victories, Go now shifts his focus to the Asian Tour which resumes in September, carrying with him not only momentum but renewed confidence after proving he can win under vastly different conditions.
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