Justin Quiban delivered a breathtaking finale to a rollercoaster final round filled with electrifying twists and adrenaline-pumping momentum swings at the Lakewood course in Cabanatuan City on Friday.
In a gripping showdown that kept the gallery on edge, Quiban sealed the ICTSI Lakewood Championship with a clutch eagle on the 18th, narrowly edging out Ha Taewon in a heart-stopping duel to complete a wire-to-wire victory.
After an intense battle marked by a birdie-eagle exchange from both contenders, Ha and Quiban found themselves tied at 17-under par, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish. Both players reached the par-5 closing hole in two, where Ha initially gained the upper hand with a deft second shot that rolled to within 24 feet of the pin.
Unfazed, Quiban responded with steel nerves, landing his approach 20 feet past the hole. The gallery buzzed with anticipation, bracing for a fierce showdown to decide the hotly contested crown in the P3 million championship.
Meanwhile, outside the title hunt but not without drama, Keanu Jahns electrified the crowd with a near-impossible chip from the back fence that found the cup for an eagle, drawing thunderous applause.
The pressure mounted as Ha lined up his eagle attempt, but the ball narrowly missed. Seizing the moment, Quiban carefully read his putt, pacing it twice with steady focus before sending the ball rolling into the cup.
Eagle. Victory. Redemption.
“As I walked toward the 18th mound, I focused on trusting my training and preparation. I hit a massive drive, even outdriving one of the Tour’s longest hitters (Keanu),” said Quiban of his final-hole brilliance.
“When I saw Ha reach the green, I reminded myself to just make a solid strike, and I nearly holed out from 170 yards. As Ha missed his eagle putt, I knew I had to seize the opportunity – I didn’t want a playoff.”
“My caddie gave me a good line, I followed it, and the putt went in. I just trusted my training; I’ve done this so many times,” Quiban reflected on his winning stroke.
Instead of a wild celebration, Quiban’s fist pumps were measured and restrained – an intimate acknowledgment of a hard-fought triumph that almost slipped away after a shaky start. Battling punishing heat and mounting pressure, Quiban closed with a 69 to finish at 19-under 269, pocketing the top prize of P532,200.
Ha, who fired a sizzling 68 highlighted by three straight birdies to close, settled for second at 270. But this championship belonged to Quiban, the player who dominated with a record 62 early, stumbled briefly, and then stormed back with a dramatic eagle finish that crowned him champion.
(C) PGT
Jahns finished third with a 271 after a 67, while Lloyd Go and Angelo Que matched 66s for 273 and 276, respectively. Fidel Concepcion shot a 71 to tie Sean Ramos, who faltered with a 73, at 277, and Rupert Zaragosa placed eighth at 279 after matching par 72.
Earlier, Quiban seemed headed for a comfortable coronation – until the Lakewood course bared its teeth.
What began as a steady march toward a wire-to-wire victory turned into a tense, back-nine battle of nerves. Just when his grip on the title seemed to slip, Quiban summoned a clutch finishing kick.
Under a punishing sun and mounting pressure, Quiban’s composure wavered at the worst possible moment. A bogey-double bogey stumble from No. 10 threatened to undo the control he had held all week, opening the door for a surging pack that refused to back down.
Suddenly, the championship transformed into a free-for-all.
Ha, Jahns, and Lloyd Go charged into contention with fearless play, each taking advantage of Quiban’s missteps. Go, in particular, electrified the leaderboard with a four-birdie blitz over a five-hole stretch from No. 12 in a group ahead, forcing a four-way tie at 15-under and raising the specter of a playoff.
The momentum had clearly shifted, but not for long.
Refusing to yield, Quiban dug deep and rediscovered the form that produced his record 10-under 62 earlier in the week. He birdied the 12th, then delivered back-to-back clutch birdies from No. 14 – precision shots under pressure that restored his lead and silenced the challengers.
That decisive surge proved to be the turning point.
Ha faltered with a costly bogey and double bogey around the turn, while Jahns, despite an earlier eagle and birdie barrage, dropped a shot on the 13th and struggled to keep pace down the stretch. Though Ha made one last push with a birdie on No. 16 to pull within one, Quiban never blinked.
Calm and composed, the Filipino ace held sway. In the end, it wasn’t just a victory but also a statement. Tested, shaken, but never broken, Quiban proved that champions aren’t defined by flawless rounds, but by how they respond when everything is on the line.
