Mondilla all but bags Forest Hills title with six-shot lead

Clyde Mondilla is halfway through first win in three years.—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Even after slowing down somewhat with a three-under-par 68 on Thursday, Clyde Mondilla hiked his lead in the P2 million ICTSI Forest Hills Challenge in Antipolo City, basically putting his first title in three years in the bag and rendering the tournament one only he can lose.

With one round left, the long-hitting ace from Bukidnon province will take a 54-hole 194 aggregate and a six-shot lead over Angelo Que into the final round as he seeks to formalize his first win since winning a multiple-player playoff at Pradera Verde in 2020.

“I will have no room to relax since I cannot control how my pursuers will play,” Mondilla, who canned a chip from the fringe on No. 18 that gave him more separation from Que, said in Filipino after a 33-35 effort spiked by four birdies—his lowest total for the week. “I need to toughen up and be able to sustain the lead.”

But if there is someone who knows what to do in coming from behind to win, it is Que, another former Philippine Open champion who returned an eagle-spiked 64.

Que knows comebacks

Que, who also had six birdies and a bogey, erased a six-shot deficit in the first Anvaya Cove Invitational before the pandemic and is willing to have a shot at duplicating that feat.

Albin Engino fired a level 71 to be eight down entering the final day, with Antonio Lascuña, who started the day just six behind, ballooning to a 75—possibly his worst round of the year—after a triple bogey on No. 18 to drop 13 shots off.

Meanwhile, Daniella Uy held sway in the final round of ladies play, closing out with a 74 to win by a shot over Florence Bisera and snap a two-year dry spell that included heartbreaking runner-up finishes.