Clash of titans looms in ICTSI Negros Classic

BACOLOD, Philippines – The best of the old and new in Philippine golf and a foreign ace at the helm?

Fasten seatbelts for a classic finish.

Dutch Guido Van der Valk is at it again, Frankie Miñoza made a surprise charge and Miguel Tabuena is back in his familiar place.

With three aces tied for the lead at 12-under 198, two laying just a stroke behind and another a shot farther back, the final round of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic headed for a classic finish at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

Miñoza proved he still has what it takes to contend – superb iron play and putting plus the will to win as the veteran campaigner sizzled with a 63 to rally from way behind to force a three-way tie for the lead with Van der Valk and Tabuena after three rounds of the P1.5 million event sponsored by ICTSI.

Van der Valk, out to redeem himself from a loss in a three-man playoff at Binitin last week won by Tony Lascuña, missed seizing the solo lead with a bogey on No. 15 but the veteran Dutch shotmaker still stayed on track for a breakthrough victory with a four-under 66.

Tabuena, back in the local hunt after a two-month stint abroad, negated a two-bogey mishap with seven birdies, including two late feats that netted him a 65 and a crack at the second crown after ruling the Anvaya Invitational crown last February.

Joenard Rates, seeking to snap a four-year title spell, missed joining the leaders with a bogey on the par-5 18th but the diminutive shotmaker still got into the mix with a 64 for a 199 in a tie with American Micah Shin, the other playoff loser at Binitin also raring to score his maiden win on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Shin carded a 66.

Halfway leader Clyde Mondilla, whose back-to-back 65s sparked hopes for a third victory for the Del Monte star, found the going tougher yesterday, fumbling with a double bogey and three bogeys in the first 10 holes to tumble down in the leaderboard. He did come up with back-to-back birdies from No. 12 but flubbed a couple of birdie putts and limped with a 73. She slid to joint eighth at 203 with Arnold Villacencio, who also rallied with a 64.

Jay Bayron gunned down four birdies against two bogeys at the front but settled for pars at the back to turn in a two-under 68 but still remained in the hunt for the top P270,000 purse at 200, just two strokes adrift.

Orlan Sumcad made a 67 for solo seventh at 202.

Lascuña, fancied to annex a fourth straight crown after a thrilling win last weekend, continued to struggle while trying to battle the inroads of fatigue after playing for four straight weeks. She carded a 68 for a 207 aggregate, nine shots off the joint leaders.

“I’m tired as I couldn’t hit the shots that I normally make,” said Lascuña, who rolled in a surprise 12-foot birdie putt off the fringe on the first playoff to snare the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge over the weekend. “But this is going to be a tight finish with so many players in contention.”