Bayron cops ICTSI Cangolf, OOM titles

MANILA, Philippines - Jay Bayron brandished an impeccable putting to draw level then pounced on second round leader Antonio Asistio II’s backside meltdown to capture the ICTSI Canlubang Golf Invitational crown with a two-under 70 for a four-stroke romp over Benjie Magada at Cangolf’s north course yesterday.

Bayron bucked a bogey start with three long birdies in the next eight holes, catching up with Asistio, who had a 36, at the helm then watched his youthful rival and Marvin Dumandan crack under pressure in the closing holes to coast to victory.

Bayron wound up with a 36 for that 70, wrapping up the 54-hole tournament with a six-under 210 worth P200,000 and snatching the Order of Merit title from erstwhile frontrunner Juvic Pagunsan with earnings of P1,020,817 over the 13-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Pagunsan, who ran away with the ICTSI-Cangolf crown last year, never got his game going, finishing way behind in joint seventh at 217 after a 73. He settled for No. 2 in the Merit race with P930,332 in winnings.

Dumandan, just three strokes behind Asistio and one adrift of Bayron at the start of the final round, failed to shrug off a neck problem and bombed out with a 40 after nine holes. He finished with a 75 for joint fifth with amateur Carl Santos-Ocampo at 216.

“I just got lucky with my putting, making three birdies at the front, all from 18 feet,” said Bayron, who had a series of runner-up finishes in the early going of the season before finally claiming his first win in the Aboitiz Invitational in Cebu last August.

He skipped the last leg at ICTSI Mimosa, won by Dumandan, to play on the Asian Tour along with the other top Filipino players then headed back home to resume his campaign on the ICTSI-PGT circuit, including his crack for the OOM title.

“His experience showed,” said Asistio, who failed to hang on at the back where he dropped four strokes in a three-hole stretch, including a double-bogey mishap on No. 13. He skied to a 77 and ended up joint third with Artemio Murakami, who had a 71, at 215.

“I was thinking ahead when I should have stayed focused. But it was a learning experience,” added Asistio.

Magada, who nipped Tony Lascuña and Bayron in the playoff to cop the ICTSI-Orchard crown of the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., also gained from Asistio and Dumandan’s collapse as he grabbed runner-up honors worth P120,000 with 214 after a 69.

Murakami and Asistio halved the combined third and fourth prizes worth P115,000.

Santos-Ocampo, meanwhile, copped the low amateur honors for the second straight time with the ICTSI-The Country Club team mainstay finishing with a 71 for joint fifth with Dumandan at 216.

Lascuña also shot a 71 and tied Pagunsan, Elmer Saban (73), ICTSI-Del Monte leg winner Cassius Casas (74) and amateurs Miguel Ochoa (75) and reigning national champion Clyde Mondilla (72) in seventh place at 217.