Mondilla averts winless season, snares Luisita crown
CLYDE MONDILLA checked a seasonlong slump with a big victory in the final leg of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour, outdueling Peter Stojanovski and Jay Bayron in a thrilling clash of nerves in the stretch to nail the hotly disputed ICTSI Luisita Invitational crown with a closing 67 in Tarlac on Friday.
Mondilla literally saved his best for last, coming through with clutch shots and putts after clutch shots and putts in blistering condition, including a birdie on the par-5 16th to surge ahead. He held on to the finish as Stojanovski blew his bid with a wet bogey at Luisita’s most perilous hole on No. 17.
Not even a 5 on the closing par-4 hole could stymie Mondilla’s claim on a most cherished crown with an 18-under 270 total for a two-stroke victory as Stojanovski also closed out with a bogey in a desperate attempt to come up with a miracle finish and save his season. The closing bogeys marred an otherwise brilliant round for the Macedonian, who ended up with a 70 for a 272.
“There was pressure and Peter just wouldn’t give up until the last two holes. But I was able to play solid and my putting clicked,” said Mondilla, referring to his decisive four-birdie binge inside six feet in a five-hole stretch from No. 12 that keyed his stirring fightback from two down with eight holes left.
Mondilla, who missed a number of tournaments early in the season due to injury and could finish no better than 10th in Iloilo, thus averted going winless in the season after ruling four tournaments on his way to bagging the 2017 PGT Order of Merit crown. He received the top P750,000 purse from PGT executive director Narlene Soriano.
“I played good except in the last two holes. It’s quite frustrating to see things fall apart when the game was on the line,” said Stojanovski, “Clyde played remarkable. He’s tough and he deserved the win.”
Aussie Tim Stewart rallied from five down to fire the day’s best 65 and tied Stojanovski at second worth P382,500 each while Bayron lost steam and also bogeyed the 17th to likewise wind up with a 70. He dropped to fourth at 273 and pocketed P220,000.
Arnold Villacencio also fought back with a 67 to snare fifth at 278 while Zanieboy Gialon carded a 70 to tie Tony Lascuña, who matched par 72, at sixth at 280.
Joenard Rates and Japanese Issei Mori both shot 69s and wound up tied at eighth at 281 while Gerald Rosales also fired a 70 to share 10th place with Reymon Jaraula, who turned in a 71, at
282 at the close of the PGT season that featured 10 legs, including three each in Visayas and Mindanao.
Mondilla anchored his title drive on a record- setting 64 Tuesday, reeled back in the next two rounds in the face of Bayron and Stojanovski’s surge but kept pressing in a fierce threeway battle of wits and nerves in the final 18 holes of the P4 million event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Stojanovski, who surged past Mondilla and Bayron with a solid 68 Thursday, stayed a shot ahead of the Filipino top guns after matching 34s at the front with Bayron falling behind with a bogey on No. 11, which
the Macedonian birdied to go 2- up again on Mondilla.
But the Del Monte ace charged back and came through with that fourbirdie spree to take command, leaving Stojanovski, who could counter with just one birdie on No. 15, behind and in awe.
Bayron tried to strike back with birdies on Nos. 12 and 15 but went the way Stojanovski did on the 17th, which continues to live up to the hype as the hole that makes or breaks one’s title bid here.
Other backers of the circuit are Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.