Jhonnel Ababa emerged victorious in a grueling battle of wits and nerves that unfolded as an intense showdown. He secured a five-stroke triumph with a late but pivotal three-shot swing on No. 16, thwarting Michael Bibat’s quest for glory at the ICTSI Mimosa Plus Championship in Pampanga on Friday.
However, Ababa’s triumph was primarily attributed to his exceptional performance throughout the day, setting him apart from the competition. He established a new course record with a flawless eight-under 64, resulting in an impressive 22-under 266 total after four rounds of intense shotmaking, iron play, and putting on the Acacia course.
Ababa outperformed Bibat, who played in the group ahead, and Dino Villanueva by a margin of five strokes. Both Bibat and Villanueva carded 69s for a total of 271. Meanwhile, Guido van der Valk, who led for three days, faltered with a double-bogey and a bogey finish, ending up in fourth place at 272. Despite yielding under-par scores throughout the four days, the closing holes of the course tested not only the skills but also the mental toughness of the top contenders.
The Dutchman finished with a 72. Nilo Salahog and Keanu Jahns tied for fifth place at 274 after rounds of 70 and 71, respectively. Tony Lascuña carded a 69, resulting in a joint seventh-place finish at 276 with Elmer Salvador, who struggled with three bogeys in the last eight holes following an eagle on the front nine.
Marvin Dumandan, who lost in a four-hole playoff to Justin Quiban in the last PGT leg at South Pacific in Davao, made a strong comeback with a 68, tying with Elee Bisera, who shot a 69, Sean Ramos, and Iloilo leg runaway winner Rupert Zaragosa. All four players finished tied for ninth place at 277.
“I just wanted to go for the green on par-5 No. 16 after my drive landed in the fairway bunker. But I hit my third shot close to the hole and made a birdie,” said Ababa in Filipino, emphasizing his pivotal moment that solidified his title victory. He attributed his success to a pair of four-birdie performances on both nines, turning what was initially a fiercely competitive contest into a runaway victory, earning him a prize of P450,000.
Ababa had a moment of realization when he witnessed Bibat’s mishap on the 16th hole, thinking to himself, “I have a chance to win.”
The Davaoeño ace not only seized the opportunity but also capitalized on it, finishing with his eighth birdie to complete a display of stellar play over four days, including rounds of 68-65-69.
“This win is a tremendous blessing. There was immense pressure at the beginning, but I reminded myself to stay focused and enjoy the game,” said Ababa, expressing gratitude to his family and friends for their unwavering support throughout his campaign, along with Borough Lasik Center, Ping Philippines, and Calatagan Golf Club.
The margin of victory did not accurately reflect the intensity of the final 18 holes. Ababa trailed Bibat by just one stroke heading to the par-5 16th hole, a hole that Bibat had birdied in the first three days of the P2 million event sponsored by ICTSI. However, the 2006 Asian Games bronze medalist stumbled with a double-bogey, paving the way for Ababa’s unwavering march to another PGT victory.
Unfortunately, Bibat could not recover from his late setback and bogeyed the 17th hole, erasing the gains he had made in the sweltering heat, where he had produced six birdies in the first 10 holes, surpassing van der Valk.
“I birdied No. 16 for three days, so I went for it again. But I made a mistake, so that’s golf,” said Bibat, who shared the combined second and third-place prizes of P465,000 with Villanueva.
Apart from the decisive finish, the final round could be considered one of the most fiercely contested, with event personnel scrambling to keep up with the rapidly changing leaderboard in the first nine holes. Bibat, with a scorching five-under card and three closing birdies, took the lead at 19-under overall and managed to hold onto it despite the relentless challenges from the final group at the back, birdying the 10th hole and going 2-up on Ababa and van der Valk, before stumbling on No. 16.
