By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Guido van der Valk of the Netherlands played steadier in the final hole to win by a stroke in the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic in Antipolo City on Friday.
The 45-year-old Dutch fired a 70 for a 12-under 272 total to earn the PHP430,000 top purse.
“No. 18 isn’t the easiest hole — there’s a lot of trouble out there. But I hit a good drive and followed it up with a really nice second shot. That helped me settle down a bit and close it out,” van der Valk said.
Van der Valk matched Aidric Chan’s 31 at the front nine and stretched his lead with a birdie on the 10th. But he bogeyed Nos. 12, 15 and 17, allowing Keanu Jahns, Que and Reymon Jaraula to close in.
“I started off a bit iffy with my approach shots but still managed to save pars. From No. 5 onwards, though, I really found my rhythm and went on a run with four straight birdies,” he said.
“But for some reason, I got a little defensive at the backnine. That’s when I started getting into trouble. I struggled to shake it off and ended up making some bogeys, which definitely made things harder for me toward the finish. Still, I hung in there,” he added.
Jahns sizzled in the back nine with five birdies in eight holes, including a closing birdie, for a 66 and 11-under 273.
Que, who swept the first two legs of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour at Pradera Verde and Eagle Ridge, fired the round of the day, a 64 highlighted by seven birdies, also finishing one shot shy of a tie.
Van der Valk tied for fourth at Pradera Verde in February and was runner-up to Angelo Que at Eagle Ridge in April.
Jahns and Que halved the combined second and third prizes totaling PHP430,000. Jaraula was fourth at 274 after a 72.
Jeffren Lumbo fired a 66 for solo fifth at 275, while Chan, who started strong but stumbled with a 40 on the back nine, settled for sixth at 276 after a 71.
Fidel Concepcion shot a 67 to finish seventh at 278 followed by Russel Bautista (70-282) and Carl Corpus (72-283), while Clyde Mondilla matched par 71 to tie for 10th at 284 with Atsushi Ueda and Justin Quiban, who carded 74 and 75, respectively. (PNA)
