Jay Bayron broke out of tie with Malaysian Gavin Green with a six-foot birdie on the 15th hole and went on to post a two-shot victory in the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational crown yesterday at the East course of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong.
Bayron set up the birdie with a solid tee shot and a superb approach shot and watched Green miss a four-foot par putt to seize control.
He made pars the rest of the way to finish the 72-hole event at six-under 282. It marked the sixth straight year that a Filipino won the international tournament.
The inaugural winner in 2011, Bayron credited his chip-in birdie from 30 yards on the ninth hole as the game changer.
“That was the turning point. In the first few holes, I was looking for something to inspire me and that chip-in birdie was the answer,” said Bayron who started the day one shot behind American Nicolas Paez.
He bogeyed the first hole, but made up for it with birdies on Nos. 4 and 9. He offset another bogey on No. 11 with birdies on No. 13 and 15. He went home with P822,500.
Green, who won an ADT event last April at Manila Southwoods in Carmona, Cavite, birdied No. 16 and tried to force a playoff on the final hole. But he found the bunker off the tee and missed the green on his approach to finish with a bogey for 69 and 284.
“I had to hit a birdie. Too bad it did not happen,” rued Green.
Thai Rattanon Wannasrichan came from behind to snatch solo third at 285 after a 69 in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion.
Tony Lascuña, who pulled within one with a 34 after nine holes, fumbled with three bogeys against two birdies at the back and wound up with a 71 for 286, settling for joint fourth with Indonesian George Gandranata, who closed out with a 70.
Paez, who held on to the lead despite a 74 in the third round, struggled with a 37 before making four bogeys in the last seven holes for a 77. He fell to joint sixth at 288 with Thai Poom Saksansin, who matched par 72, and Swede Malcolm Kokocinski who had a 73.
Thai Suradit Yongcharoenchai and American Micah Shin tied for ninth at 289 after a pair of 73s while American Blake Snyder and Swede Oscar Zetterwall, winner of the Eagle Ridge ADT last April, shared 11th place at 291.