CAVINTI, Laguna – Zanieboy Gialon snapped a five-year title drought at the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship on Friday, coming through with clutch birdies to salvage a 71 and win by four shots over a charging Clyde Mondilla.
Gialon bucked a one-over card with back-to-back birdies from No. 15, regaining complete control after Mondilla pulled to within one in a flight ahead on a solid six-birdie feat after 15 holes.
But the Del Monte ace blew his chance on the par-5 16th where he ended up with bogey, ending up with a 67 for a 279.
First victory since 2017
From there, Gialon played pressure-free coming home, sealing his first victory since posting a six-shot romp over Jhonnel Ababa at ICTSI Calatagan in 2017, with closing pars for a 13-under 275.
Gialon pocketed the top purse of P360,000 after recording his fifth career victory during awards rites graced by Caliraya Springs Golf Club general manager Jerome Baldoz.
Joenard Rates, who fell by five on a third round 73, threatened to within two with a frontside 34 but wavered with a backside 37 and wound up with a 67 to drop to joint third at 280 with a late-charging Lloyd Go in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Go, a former national champion, birdied three of the last seven holes to match Mondilla’s 67 while Rupert Zaragosa, the other player in the championship group, slowed down with a 72 and ended up fifth at 281.
Rates and Go split the combined P242,000 prize, while Zaragosa received P86,000.
Ira Alido likewise failed to sustain a third round 67 and closed out with a 71 for sixth at 282 while former Rancho Palos Verdes winner Reymon Jaraula rallied with a 68 to snare seventh place at 284.
Enrico Gallardo shot a 70 to tie Michael Bibat, Albin Engino and Anthony Fernando, who all carded 71s, and Dino Villanueva, who matched par 72, at eighth at 285.
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