Jonel Ababa coasts to victory

CALATAGAN, Batangas—Jonel Ababa finally completed a wire-to-wire performance with a 1-under-par 71 Friday to rule the ICTSI Calatagan Challenge pulling away from an outclassed field.

The ex-caddy from Davao, who now calls this province home, mixed five birdies with four bogeys for a 54-hole, 10-under 206 tally to clinch the P200,000 top prize with a six-stroke win at the Calatagan layout here.

Mark Fernando and Antonio Lascuña also shot 71s and shared second spot at 212 as Cassius Casas, the former Philippine Open champion who started the day in solo second just two strokes behind, faltered with a 77 to finish in a tie for sixth.

After earlier rounds of 70 and 67, Casas double bogeyed the ninth and 10th holes after coming within a stroke of the eventual champion after the eighth hole.

“I guess it (championship) was really just for me,” said Ababa, who mastered the course as a former member of the National Caddies’ Open program, in Filipino.

“I just can’t help but look back at the days when I worked preparing for something like this.”

Ababa also triumphed at Sta. Barbara in Iloilo and at the Riviera in Cavite, securing both victories with sizzling rallies in the final round.

This time, Ababa even eased up on the final nine with the title virtuallyin the bag.

“I played it safe in the last nine holes and just went for the fairways,” Ababa said. “There was no point in attacking the course anymore because this course makes gamblers pay.”

No one paid a heftier price than Casas, who had a one-under card after eight holes before putting his drive on the ninth into the thick rough lining the right side of the fairway.

He played out, hit more trees and missed his approach before two-putting for a six.

All hopes of a comeback fizzled out on the next hole when Casas, usually very accurate off the tee, again pulled his drive for another double bogey.

Anthony Fernando fired a 69 and caught Marvin Dumandan in fourth spot at 213 after Dumandan, who was three down at the start of the final round, returned a closing 75.

Ebarra Quiachon, Joenard Rates and Jun Bernis all finished tied with Casas after shooting a 70, 75 and 75, respectively.

The final scores:
206—J. Ababa 66-69-71; 212—M. Fernando 70-71-71, A. Lascuña 70-71-71; 213—A. Fernando 74-70-69, M. Dumandan 67-71-75; 214—E. Quiachon 74-70-70, J. Rates 69-70-75, J. Bernis 67-72-75, C. Casas 67-70-75; 215—E. Saban 72-70-73, F. Aunzo 72-69-74; 217—R. Marabe 72-75-70, C. Hong 72-71-74, G. Rosales 69-73-75; 218—R. Sinfuego 75-74-69, A. Engino 72-71-75, A. Murakami 72-71-75