Artemio Murakami kept the momentum of his fiery third round charge
and closed out with a bogey-free 68, bagging the Philippine Open title via a
two-stroke victory over last year’s winner Elmer Salvador of Davao City at the Valley Golf
Club course in Antipolo, Saturday.
Sustaining the form that netted him a seven-under 65 Friday and pulled him
within one off Salvador and amateur Miguel Tabuena, Murakami outgunned the
erstwhile joint leaders with four birdies in the first 10 holes then hung tough
with clutch pars to annex the crown on a 72-hole aggregate of 11-under 277.
He won P350,000, lower than the P448,500 bounty he pocketed in winning the
Mercedes Benz Tour leg at Manila Southwoods early in the year. But his Open romp
enabled him to join the elite circle of winners in the country’s premier golfing
event long considered as Asia’s oldest championship.
"Its all about focus,” said Murakami after completing his comeback from the back
of the pack fuelled by a stirring 65 in the third round. “I guess it was my
focus in the final two days that did it for me."
Salvador, who kept the rallying Murakami at bay with a gutsy 70 Friday, birdied
No. 2 but reeled back in the face of Murakami’s sustained charge. He birdied the
par-3 18th from 12 feet for a 71 and a 279, settling for a runner-up finish
worth P224,400.
Two-time champion Frankie Minoza, whom Murakami looks up to as idol and mentor,
shot a 70 for solo third at 280 worth P125,000.
"I'm happy with my effort," said Minoza, who is set to join the US Seniors
Champions Tour next year.
Murakami, who regained his Asian Tour card by topping the Qualifying School last
January but has struggled on the region’s lucrative circuit all season long,
calmly made a three-foot par putt on the 18th then raised his hands – the left
holding his trusted putter and the right his black visor – in triumph before a
big appreciative crowd that included Minoza, who has seen his ward blossomed
from a mediocre golfer into a seasoned player.
"It's a good feeling to finally win it," said Murakami, who birdied Nos. 3, 4, 6
and 10 to wrest control of the big number of title contenders.
He added that luck also played a role in his title win as three of his drives
bounced back onto the fairway after hitting the trees. “I guess I got a bit
lucky, too,” he said.
Murakami's win also foiled Salvador's bid to become the Open's first
back-to-back winner since the late Celestino Tugot won four straight from 1955.
"I tried my best to win it again this year but he (Murakami) really played
well," said the soft-spoken Salvador, who fell short of his bid to give himself
another big birthday present today the way he did last year when he topped last
year’s Open at Mt. Malarayat,
Tabuena, who humbled the pros with a 67 in the third round to tie Salvador at
the helm, cracked with a 73 and settled for fourth overall with a 281, still a
big feat for a 16-year-old wonder who won the silver medal in the recent Asian
Games.
Tabuena also bungled his chance to become the Open’s first amateur champion
since Hsu Sheng San of Chinese Taipei won in 1967.
"I missed the fairways early, maybe that cost me my chance," said Tabuena, who
ran away with the low amateur honors, four clear off James Wang.
"But overall, I'm happy with the way I performed considering what happened today
(yesterday)," he said.
Orlan Sumcad and Richard Sinfuego wound up joint fifth at 282 after a 72 and 71,
respectively.
Former champion Cassius Casas fired a tournament-best nine-under 63 to salvage
joint seventh with Elmer Saban, who matched par 72, at 284.
Rounding up the Top 10 with 285s were Joenard Rates (71), Wang (69) and Ferdie
Aunzo (69) while Marvin Dumandan and Mhark Fernando wound up with 286s after 75
and 73, respectively.(pr)
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