Third time’s a charm for Alido

MANILA, Philippines — After two failed stabs at Philippine Golf Tour glory, Ira Alido finally cracked one in tough times, in one of the country’s toughest courses and against a mix of seasoned campaigners and fellow young guns.

He did it the easy way as he cruised to a nine-stroke victory over Michael Bibat and two others despite a closing two-over 73 in the ICTSI Riviera Championship at the Langer course in Silang, Cavite yesterday.

Thanks to a solid 64 in the third round, a stirring output fashioned out in exacting conditions that put him way out in front by eight strokes over Bibat and second day leader Zanieboy Gialon.

The lead was so huge it probably made his pursuers grow tired just figuring out how to overhaul it as Bibat and Gialon came out flat in a final round practically reduced to a victory walk for the 19-year-old Alido.

Pressure-free, he bogeyed Nos. 3 and 4, miscues that hardly mattered as Bibat also made the turn at 37 and Gialon faded with a 40, paving the way for Alido’s unhampered roll that erased the stigma of his meltdowns after leading through 54 holes, including in PGT Asia at Wack Wack last season.

Alido assembled a seven-under 277 to complete the rout that more than doubled Tony Lascuña’s four-shot romp over him and Rupert Zaragosa in the first of two PGT bubble tournaments in the ICTSI Riviera Invitational Challenge at the Couples course.