DAVAO – Sarah Ababa pulled off a stirring comeback, erasing a daunting four-stroke deficit in just one hole and leveraging that pivotal moment to secure victory in the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic, ending a prolonged drought on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour with a closing 73.
Ababa bounced back from a setback of two bogeys after five holes with a chip-in birdie on the par-5 No. 6, seizing the opportunity as Mafy Singson stumbled with a triple bogey on the same hole.
Decisive 4-shot swing
The rare four-shot swing dramatically shifted momentum in their final-round duel of local talents at the Apo Golf and Country Club on Thursday.
Trailing by two strokes after 36 holes and falling behind by four after No. 5, Ababa leveled the score at four-over total after six holes, took the lead with another birdie on the seventh, and extended her advantage to two strokes as Singson faltered with a bogey on No. 8.
Maintaining her composure thereafter, Ababa opted for conservative play and reaped the rewards with a string of pars, extending her lead to four as Singson grappled with bogeys on 12 and 15 before ending up with a 77.
Despite Singson’s birdie on No. 16 and her three-putt bogey, Ababa remained steadfast, matching her opponent’s last two pars to secure victory by two strokes with a four-over 220 total.
Ababa pays tribute to father
“I didn’t expect to win after falling behind by four early on,” said Ababa. “But my father (Edgar) always says, if it’s meant for me, it’s meant for me.”
Indeed, it turned out to be her day to shine.
Ababa expressed gratitude for her timely birdies on 6 and 7, recognizing the pivotal role they played in her victory.
“Those birdies were incredibly lucky. I chipped in on No. 6 and made a long putt (30 feet) on the seventh,” said Ababa. “I played steady the rest of the way.”
Despite a moment of anxiety when she three-putted from 24 feet on 16, Ababa held her nerve to clinch the win, marking her first victory since her triumph at Sherwood Hills in 2015 and ending her long winless streak on the premier ladies' golf circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Ababa credited her father, who sacrificed the chance to play in the men’s tournament to caddie for her, for his invaluable support.
“It’s an important win for me,” said Ababa, fighting back tears. “Aside from winning on my home course, my father sacrificed playing his own round just to help me.”
“He actually wanted to play (in the PGT) but decided to caddie for me because he was confident in my abilities. I’m truly grateful, both to him and to the Lord,” she added.
It was a disappointing finish for Singson, who had hoped to launch her professional career with a victory on her home turf. Winner of two LPGT events as an amateur, Singson settled for second place with a 222 after a 76, earning P85,000 as a full-fledged professional.
“I drove to the right, hit a branch, and played before a canal from a stymied lie. I then went for the green, tried to put it in the middle but pulled it a bit and got stuck in the bunker. I hit two balls to get out and three-putted,” said Singson of her misfortune on 6, which she birdied in the first round.
Mikha Fortuna, despite playing in the championship flight, failed to mount a significant challenge, settling for third at 226, also after a 77. She received P68,000.
Chanelle Avaricio rallied with a 74 to finish fourth at 227 while Harmie Constantion placed fifth at 232 after a 77 followed by Laurea Duque (77-234), Daniella Uy (76-235), Miya Legaspi (79-235), Rev Alcantara (82-237), and Lois Kaye Go (80-239).
The final scores:
220 – Sarah Ababa 72-75-73
222 – Mafy Singson 73-72-77
226 – Mikha Fortuna 73-76-77
227 – Chanelle Avaricio 75-78-74
232 – Harmie Constantino 76-79-77
234 – Laurea Duque 79-78-77
235 – Miya Legaspi 78-78-79, Daniella Uy 77-82-76
237 – Rev Lizbeth Alcantara 83-72-82
239 – Lois Kaye Go 81-78-80
240 – Florence Yvon Bisera 78-82-80, Chihiro Ikeda 81-81-78
248 – Annika Cedo 83-84-81, Kristine Fleetwood 84-84-80
249 – Apple Jeen Fudolin 79-81-89, Gretchen Villacencio 78-84-87
250 – Marvi Monsalve 83-88-79
253 – Pamela Mariano 84-85-84
263 – Lucy Landicho 84-89-90
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