Davao's Marvin Dumandan rallied with a three-under 69 to force a playoff then birdied the second sudden death hole to nip fellow Dabawenyo Tony Lascuna and snatch the ICTSI Royal Northwoods Championship crown at the Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club in San Rafael, Bulacan, Friday.
Dumandan bucked an errant drive to the rough on their third trip on the par-4 18th with a superb approach shot that stopped eight feet off the cup, made the putt then watched Lascuna flubbed his own bid from six feet to clinch the victory.
“I just got lucky,” said Dumandan in Filipino after completing his stirring come-from-behind win worth P200,000 that snapped a six-month drought on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
The ICTSI-Sherwood leg winner, who shared the lead with Lascuna with a course-record tying 65 in the first round but drifted three strokes back with a mediocre second day stint, actually fell farther back by five as Lascuna threatened to blow away the field with a back-to-back birdie start.
But Dumandan held his ground and strung up with a 35-34 card, hitting two birdies at the back to force a playoff as Lascuna sputtered after a solid start, fumbling with four bogeys against two more birdies for a 72.
Lascuna missed winning it outright after a bunker-to-bunker mishap on the 72nd hole.
Both Davaoenos finished with 10-under 206s and parred the first playoff hole with Lascuna, who settled for P120,000, flubbing a birdie putt from eight feet and Dumandan from 12 feet.
It was an inspiring win for Dumandan, who led in the opening holes of the final round in the Aboitiz Invitational but cracked and wavered to finish third behind Jay Bayron and Juvic Pagunsan. He also came into this P1 million event in poor form, having missed the cut in all three legs on the Asian PGA Tour.
But he never got discouraged as he worked on his putting stroke that came to fore in the first round. Although he struggled with his putter in the second day, Dumandan regained his touch and banged in crucial putts in the final round, including the title-clincher on the second playoff hole.
“I always believe that putting will be the key to winning kasi hindi naman kami nagkakalayo sa palo,” said Dumandan.
Benjie Magada, who also outlasted Lascuna in the third playoff hole to capture the Orchard leg crown of the circuit, sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., shot the day’s best score of six-under 66 and finished tied for third with Robert Pactolerin, who fired a 67, and Elmer Salvador, who had a 71, at 209. Each received P51,600.
Richard Abaring finished sixth with a 210 after a 71 and took home P35,000 while Gene Bondoc shot a 69 for solo seventh at 211 worth P30,000.
Carl Ocampo Santos and Jobim Carlos shared the low amateur honors with a pair 71s as they wound up tied with pros Anthony Fernando (72) and Rey Pagunsan (74) for eighth at 213 in the tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners Business Mirror, Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource.(pr)
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