BUKIDNON – Clyde Mondilla birdied the last three holes, including a tap-in on the 18th for a 69 to beat Reymon Jaraula by one in a wild and woolly finish in the ICTSI Del Monte Championship at the Del Monte Golf Club Friday here.
Mondilla blew a one-shot overnight lead with a mediocre frontside stint but fought back from three-down in the last four holes of a day-long battle of shotmaking, iron play and putting and stole the victory in one of the best finishes in the tour.
His terrific finish elicited cheers from the gallery, including his wife and daughter.
“This win is very special,” said Mondilla, whose 18-under 270 total on his home course, worth P437,500, matched his output in essaying a five-shot romp over Angelo Que and Dino Villanueva at Forest Hills last June.
Unlike in his Forest Hills triumph, however, Mondilla needed to rally in the stretch, capping his startling comeback with a chip shot infront of the 18th green which he has probably mastered while growing up, the ball bouncing once before rolling two feet left of the cup.
Jaraula, who also grew up here, chipped way past the hole and missed a playoff-clinching birdie putt from six feet and also finished with a 69 while Justin Quiban reached the green in two but three-putted also for a three-under card.
“I was 3-down with four holes left, so I thought I should at least fight for second although I had to do better,” said Mondilla. “But after birdying Nos. 16 and 17, I found myself tied at the lead and I knew I had the edge to go for a closing birdie after I hit a solid drive on No. 18.”
Mondilla thanked cited his father-caddie Arsenio’s tournament-long help.
“Ang tatay ko talaga ang magaling,” he said in jest.
Jaraula, who took control with a solid four-under card after 10 holes, bogeyed No. 15 and failed to match any of Mondilla’s closing birdies, missing forcing a playoff with a flubbed birdie putt on the 72nd hole.
The runaway Valley leg winner also wound up with a 69 marred by a bogey on No. 15 as he pooled a 271 for second after limping to 21st at Forest Hills. He received P287,500.
Quiban, two behind Mondilla after 54 holes, fueled his own title drive, also in late fashion as he rattled off three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 11 to tie Jaraula at 17-under. But he was undone with a bogey on the tight par-4 No. 17 following a missed drive.
He also finished with a 69 and took third place with 272 worth P162,500.
Iloilo leg runaway winner Rupert Zaragosa also closed out with a three-under card and placed fourth at 277 while Jhonnel Ababa, who nipped Jaraula by two here in 2019, struggled for an even-par 72 and ended up fifth with a 278.
Sean Ramos also carded a 69 for sixth at 281 while Jay Bayron rallied with a 68 to tie Elmer Salvador, who shot a 71, at 282, while Art Arbole likewise charged back with a 69 for joint ninth at 283 with Tony Lascuna and Dino Villanueva, who matched 71s, and Zanieboy Gilaon, who matched par 72.
The Asian Games-bound Mondilla’s victory thus matched Daniella Uy’s back-to-back title run in the women’s side Thursday after the duo posted contrasting wins at Forest Hills last June.
