TARLAC—Charles Hong regained control early and then fended off a slew of pursuers to capture the P2-million ICTSI Luisita Championship crown by two strokes here yesterday.
Hong closed out with a two-under-par 70 and got a lot of help from the early foldup of 54-hole leader Clyde Mondilla in tallying a 15-under-270 total for his third win in the circuit after earlier victories at Pueblo de Oro in 2012 and at Sherwood Hills last year.
Mondilla, after cracking 70 in each of the first three rounds and zooming to the lead after a 66 on Friday, ballooned to an 80 and finished way behind at 282.
Orlan Sumcad, Antonio Lascuña and Marvin Dumandan were hot on the heels of Hong the whole day, but all fell short and tied for second at 272.
Sumcad birdied six of his last eight holes and submitted a 66, Lascuña fired a 67 and Dumandan a 69 with Jay Bayron finishing another stroke back after a 70.
Frankie Miñoza, the last man to win a pro event at this layout in 1989, also fired a 70 for 277.
Keanu Jahns, the sophomore who was the second round leader, also floundered, signing for a 75 to fall into a tie with Jonel Ababa and Zannie Boy Gialon at 278.
Gialon fired a 67 and Ababa closed out with a 73.