Former amateur hotshots Jobim Carlos and Princess Superal emerged as the year’s best in pro golf, anchoring their Order of Merit feats on two victories on the Philippine Golf Tour and the Ladies PGT, respectively.
Carlos actually kicked off his third season in the circuit on the wrong foot, missing the cut at Eagle Ridge. But the 25-year-old former national amateur champion worked on his game and produced two victories while turning in a couple of runner-up and third place finishes to become the new toast of Philippine pro golf.
Boosted by his R550,000 winnings in the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational and Iloilo Golf Challenge, the ace shotmaker from Meycauayan, Bulacan closed out the 10-leg PGT with R2,487,083 in earnings, nearly doubling the winnings of second placer and Club Filipino De Cebu Invitational champion Jhonnel Ababa (R1,366,375).
Three foreign bets also scored breakthrough victories on the circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., including Korean Kim Joo Hyung, who topped the Pueblo de Oro stop. He finished third in the OOM derby with R1,361,500 followed by Eagle Ridge titlist Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands (R1,268,642), Luisita Invitational winner and last year’s OOM champion Clyde Mondilla (R1,134,233), Philippine Masters titlist Jerson Balasabas (R1,103, 416), former OOM winner Jay Bayron (R1,053,519), multi-titled Tony Lascuña (R987,366), American Nicolas Paez, who ruled the Del Monte leg, (R925,566) and Aussie Tim Stewart (R832,083).
Like Carlos, Superal captured two titles, in back-to-back fashions at Highlands and Riviera and made six top six finishes to finally claim the coveted OOM diadem with R1,150,183 in winnings, foiling the bids of the Thais, who dominated the 12-leg ladies circuit with six victories.
“This (OOM feat) is so significant to my career, a big confidence-booster,” said Superal, the former US Girls Junior champion who is actually on the third stage of the Japan Tour qualifying.
Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, who topped the ICTSI Champion Tour at Manila Southwoods, fell short of toppling Superal with R1,080,150 with last year’s OOM winner and this year’s Eagle Ridge leg champion Chihiro Ikeda finishing third with R933,770.
Yupaporn Kawinpakorn actually posted two victories at Beverly Place and Summit Point but the Thai ace played in only five tournaments and earned R641,907 for fourth followed by former three-time OOM titlist Cyna Rodriguez (R638,583), and Thais Onkanok Soisuwan, who ruled at Mt. Malarayat, (R533,517), Chonlada Chayanun (R493,787).
