Clyde hopes to check slide, eyes Masters repeat
CLYDE MONDILLA sets out for defense of his young career’s most memorable victory, hoping to put together in three weeks time a game that had seemed to break up early in the season.
A tied for 24th in The Country Club
Philippine Open and missed cut stints in the Eagle Ridge Challenge and the Delimondo National Pro-am do not augur well for a player eager to make it
- pine Masters unfolding on May 23.
But the reticent former national champion has vowed to do everything to get back in shape and regain the con
- tion drive against a crack international
Golf Club, the home of the Masters.
“I just need to practice more to get back into shape and at the same time polish my short game and putting,” said Mondilla, who rallied to edge Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa and American Nicolas Paez by one and snare last year’s revival of one of local version’s four majors.
spruced up in time for the blueribbon event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers,
Mineral Water and PLDT.
to the tour’s long hitters, particularly the young turks, the tree-lined military layout remains challenging even to the toughest in the fold with dangers lurking in every corner of the tight layout.
The Masters win also highlighted his four-victory romp last year, including the PGA Asia at Riviera that netted him the Philippine Golf Tour’s Order of Merit title.
But he will not only be rushing to regain his competitive form but will also be facing a formidable set of rivals, all raring to come out strong and fuel their respective title bids at resumption of the local circuit and the PGT Asia organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
They include Lascuña, Ababa and Paez, along with Zanieboy Gialon, Jay Bayron,
- a breakthrough with a victory in last week’s pro-am with DJ Padilla, now trains his sights on the individual plum with the likes of Jun Bernis, Mars Pucay, Jelbert Gamolo and Marvin Dumandan also joining the title hunt.
Other foreign aces tipped to crowd the local top guns are American Lexus - - rean Lee Hyun Jun, Canada’s Lindsey Renolds and Taisei Mochia of Japan. but two wins, the latest a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Begu, have sent the 31-year-old into the last 16.
which she won in 2012 and 2014.
Bouchard last year, in what was only her second tournament back following a 15-month suspension for taking the banned drug meldonium.
- the baseline against Begu and while there were a few more errors than she would have liked, she delivered in the pressure moments.
After an exchange of breaks midway through the first
after a sweeping backhand into the corner. set,
forehand winners.
Begu hit back with a break in the opening game of the second