Biggest comeback: Jay Bayron rules Splendido golf

TAGAYTAY—Jay Bayron completed the biggest comeback in the ICTSI Tour Saturday while turning younger brother Rufino into a sorry footnote.

Nine strokes down at the start of the day, the unassuming Jay Bayron closed out with a three-under-par 69 and, coupled with a huge collapse by Rufino a flight behind, won the Splendido Classic here by a stroke over his brother and Clyde Mondilla.

It was the biggest deficit overhauled in the young history of the circuit, and Jay made it possible by gunning down an eagle and three birdies in the back nine for a closing 32 and 281 overall, seven-under over the ravine-filled, wind-raked layout.

“I had no expectations before the start of the round,” Jay, the Philippine Open runner-up to American Berry Henson in 2011 at Wack Wack, said in Filipino. “Maybe this tournament was just for me.

“I came out just to play my game, and sadly, Rufino collapsed,” added Jay.

Rufino, who forged ahead by seven with a 65 in the third round, had a chance to forge a playoff but muffed a birdie try from 10 feet on the 18th to finish with a 79, which also allowed the big-hitting Mondilla to claim a second place tie at 282 after a brilliant 67.

Jay nailed his eagle 3 on the 11th following a big 4-iron from 206 yards that landed  pin-length off the cup. He then picked up another two shots in the next three holes before capping his round with a birdie from close range on the par-5 18th.

The event was organized by the Pilipinas golf Tournaments Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI with Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers, Titleist, Cleveland, Pacsports, Srixon, Callaway, Sharp and FootJoy as official backers.

It was a sorry windup for Rufino, who had three straight bogeys from No. 2 before closing out his first nine holes with double bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes for a 43.

Rufino still had the lead going into the back nine but Jay caught fire in that four-hole stretch to salvage the win worth P270,000 out of the P1.5 million kitty.

Antonio Lascuña signed for a 73 to finish alone in fourth, with Elmer Salvador.