Ababa rises again, wins PGTA title by 3 shots

ANTIPOLO, Philippines — Jhonnel Ababa came out a lot better than seven others in local tour’s most crowded final round duel in recent years, unleashing a strong start and a rock-solid finish to overwhelm the field instead and ran away with the ICTSI Forest Hills Championship crown by three on a closing 64 at the Nicklaus course here yesterday.

Ababa broke out of a tight four-way tie with back-to-back opening birdies then disposed of his rivals, including Jobim Carlos, Thai Itthipat Buranatanyarat and John Salah of the US, and four others who lurked just a stroke behind after 54 holes, with a kind of game that netted him back-to-back Philippine Golf Tour Asia crowns last January before he went on a six-month slump.

But he downplayed his fierce form in the last two days and instead attributed his victory to the good fortune that the region’s newest circuit seems to bring to his campaign.

“I think I’m lucky playing on the PGT Asia,” said Ababa, who snapped a long title drought with a seven-shot romp at PGTA Eagle Ridge then followed it up with a two-stroke victory at Pradera Verde in the sixth and seventh legs, respectively, of the inaugural PGT Asia last January.

“But I really played solid in the last two days and I thank God for giving me the chance to win again,” said Ababa, who precariously stayed on top despite three more birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 6 then pulled away with another back-to-back birdie feat from No. 16 – a tap-in and a 16-footer – as his rivals fell by the wayside one after the other trying to match his impeccable game.

He actually closed out the last 36 holes of the $100,000 championship put up by ICTSI without a bogey and totaled 18 birdies in all against a double-bogey in the opening day and a bogey in the second round for a whopping four-day total of 15-under 269 worth another $17,500.