Late birdie streak sparks Ababa triumph

May 27, 2023 Times Europe

Johnnel Ababa shows off his trophy. —PHOTO BY PILIPINAS GOLF

By his calculations, Johnnel Ababa knew one thing.

“Despite trailing most of the way, I knew I had a chance,” he said on Saturday. He figured two birdies a the back nine would put him solidly in contention for the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters crown.

“Eh nakatatlo pa (And I made three),” he said.

The extra birdie played a crucial role as it helped him survive a slip-up on 17 on the way to a one-stroke victory over erstwhile coleaders Guido Van der Valk and Joenard Rates at the challenging military layout.

Ababa finished with a 71 and looked like he was coasting to the crown against his winded foes when he went three strokes up with birdies on 13, 14 and 15. But the Davao ace pulled his tee shot into the water on No. 17, Villamor’s signature hole, and wound up with a double bogey to put the P2.5 million championship into a tight finish.

“I also had a 5 (double bogey) on that hole in the third round,” Ababa said. “I guess I really have no luck with that hole.”

But as quickly as the suspense built up, it dissipated.

Third player

Playing at the championship flight ahead of Ababa, van der Valk and Rates missed birdie chances and finished with identical 74s, easing the pressure off the leader, who needed just a solid finish to annex the crown.

Ababa became the third player to win the Masters crown since the fabled event was revived in 2017

Van der Valk, who missed the cut at Luisita, and Rates shared second and third place prizes after posting identical 286s, while Keanu Jahns also carded a 71 for solo fourth at 287.

Reymon Jaraula matched par-72 for the second straight day and ended up fifth at 288 while Korean Min Seong Kim rallied with the day’s best 68 to clinch sixth place at 289 followed by Nilo Salahog and Fidel Concepcion, who tied for seventh at 290 after a 73 and 74, respectively.