ABABA RISES, SNATCHES ICTSI PH MASTERS CROWN

ON the outside looking in majority of the way, Jhonnel Ababa charged back with a kind of resolve that fuel big-time results, hitting three key late birdies then bucking a slip on No. 17 to edge Guido van der Valk and Joenard Rates by one with a 71 for the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters crown at the Villamor Golf Club on Saturday.

Ababa actually appeared headed for a runaway win after rattling off three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 13 to go 3-up over the erstwhile co-leaders, who succumbed to the terrors lurking all over the military layout, including its tricky greens, in a flight behind. But the ace Davaoeño 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 doublebogey and paving the way for what the huge gallery had hoped for a thriller of a finish in the P2.5million championship.

It didn’t materialize as van der Valk and Rates flubbed their birdie bids on the 72nd hole and matched 74s, enabling Ababa to hoist the highly contested trophy with a four-day total of threeunder 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],” said Ababa, who thus became the third player to win the Masters crown since the fabled event was revived in 2017 topped by Clyde Mondilla with Jerson Balasabas holding off van der Valk in sudden death the following year. There were no Masters during the pandemic and last year.

But its return proved as riveting as ever with the outcome unclear until the final putt was drained.

Van der Valk, who missed the cut at Luisita, 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 par72 for the second straight day and ended up fifth at 288 while Korean 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.