‘Pacto’ edges Dabawenyo in 4th playoff hole

Robert Pactolerin nipped Dabawenyo Tony Lascuna in a playoff duel of players

seeking an end to a long title drought, clinching the ICTSI Negros Occidental

Classic championship with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole before a big

Friday crowd last week at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in Bacolod City.

Pactolerin fought back from four strokes down to shoot a three-under 67 and gain

a rare crack at the crown at five-under 205, the same output put in by Lascuna

who recovered from a disastrous frontside stint of 38 with two birdies at the

back to salvage a 71.

They parred the par-5, 618-yard No. 18th twice in the playoff then birdied the

same hole the third time, and fourth in the day, before Pactolerin set up

another birdie chance from eight feet from a superb approach shot for the

clincher, ending a long drawn out battle for the top P200,000 purse in this

sixth leg of the 17-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

But it’s worth the wait and a well-deserved win for the former Philippine Open

and many-time Masters champion, who proved that he still got what it takes to

win.

“Meron pa (I still have the game). I always believe that I can still win for as

long as I keep myself in shape. All you need is discipline,“ said Pactolerin,

who also had to endure six missed cut stints this year – misfortunes that only

drove him to persevere, in Filipino.

While Pactolerin finally snapped a title drought that started after he won the

ICTSI Sherwood crown in 2008, Lascuna extended his title slump and playoff woes

as he also lost in a three-man sudden death in last year’s ICTSI Orchard

Championship.

“It’s okay, that’s golf. It’s still not my time,” said Lascuna in Filipino. He

missed extending the playoff to a fifth hole when he flubbed his own bid from 12

feet.

Juvic Pagunsan, who had lived up to the hype in the first two days, cracked in a

rare meltdown after a solid start, dropping four strokes at the back and blowing

away his bid for a fourth title with a 73.

He wound up third at 206 in a tie with former national team spearhead Mhark

Fernando, who matched par 70, and like in the second round, Pagunsan quickly

left as soon as he turned in his scorecard.

This time, nobody seemed to care.

For the day belonged to Pactolerin and Lascuna – the former coming out of

nowhere to contend for the crown for the first time in a long, long and the

latter fighting back from an awful start to gain another shot at the

championship.

Marvin Dumandan rallied with a 68 to tie unheralded Rodulfo Ardimer, who shot

the day’s best 66, at 209 for fifth while Jun Bernis moved to No. 4 midway

through with a three-under card but wavered with two bogeys in the last six

holes and settled for a 69 and even 210 for seventh.

Richard Sinfuego (71) and Elmer Salvador (69) wound up tied for eighth at 211

while Carl Santos-Ocampo (70) and Artemio Murakami (71) shared 10th place at

212.

The event was backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab,

BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports

Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf,

Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.[PR]

Nene Tanpinco, president of Negros Occidental G&CC and pro champion Robert Pactolerin.(pr)

Davao's Tony Lascuna is down on his knees after losing in a playoff.