SANTA ROSA, Laguna—Grinding it out when the pressure was highest, Clyde Mondilla on Saturday afternoon drained the birdies that mattered in the middle of The Country Club’s ultra-tough back nine to win what he said is the “most memorable, meaningful” title of his career.
The long-hitting native of Bukidnon birdied the 14th and 15th holes to save a three-over-par 75 and win the $500,000 Solaire Philippine Open by two shots over hard-charging American Nicolas Paez that put his name alongside the all-time greats of the sport in the land.
“I’ve won a number of tournaments, but this one is the most memorable, meaningful. I will never forget this,” said Mondilla, who wound up with a 72-hole 290 tally over, hands-down, the toughest test in the country.
Paez birdied the 18th for a 70—one of only three sub-par cards in the final round and 13 the entire week—to finish second with Angelo Que shooting a 73 to check in another three shots behind like Thailand’s Nirun Sae-Ueng, who shot a 75.
Mondilla opened the final round holding a four-shot lead, with only Paez making a charge—and letting Mondilla feel it—in the flight ahead.
Mondilla had four bogeys in the front nine as Paez came within two after a birdie on the 13th.
Before Mondilla picked up those shots that restored a four-stroke cushion, although he needed to play with a lot of precision the rest of the way.
“When I saw Paez closing in [after looking at the leaderboard], I became wary but still confident,” said Mondilla.
The win was worth $90,000 (roughly P4.725 million) for Mondilla. But more importantly, it put him in the company of just 17 other Filipinos who have won Asia’s oldest national championship, counting fellow Bukidnon natives Celestino Tugot, a six-time winner, and the revered Frankie Miñoza, who won this event twice.
Nirun stumbled with a 75 but still emerged as the best Thai finisher, with Tawit Polthai, the halfway leader, closing out with a 77 to finish six shots off.
American Brett Munson sizzled with a backside 33 and saved a 72 for 298.