2018 ICTSI Club Filipino De Cebu Invitational: Clutch putt wins it for Ababa
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Jhonnel Ababa hoists his trophy after edging Kim Joo Hyung by one on a clutch par putt on the final hole
Resigned to a playoff duel with the young Korean after a wayward drive on the par-4 18th, Ababa played out from the 10th fairway, hit a 52-wedge shot from 110 yards to within 10 feet then drilled in the uphill putt to escape with the par and the win on a 205 total in the rain-shortened P3.5 million ICTSI-sponsored event, his first on the Philippine Golf Tour in a long while.
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Jhonnel Ababa raises his arms in triumph after sinking the title-clinching putt to nip Kim Joo Hyung by one.
He did face another severe test this week – from a talent-laden international field to a tricky course to a wobbly final round stint that saw him squander a three-stroke lead he gained from the rain-suspended third round. He fell behind by one to Kim after a double-bogey on the par-3 No. 12 on another missed tee-shot and to Aussie Damien Jordan after 13 holes.
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Jhonnel Ababa reacts after drilling the title-clinching putt to beat Kim Joo Hyung by one.
“I was already prepared to go into a playoff. But my caddie (Edwin Sanchez) told me to just be safe and try to salvage a bogey at most,” said Ababa. “But I made a great uphill putt and that’s it.”
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Jhonnel Ababa unleashes a fist pump as he watches his putt roll into the cup to clinch a one-shot victory over Kim Joo Hyung.
“I think I’m lucky playing on PGT Asia,” said Ababa, who won back-to-back at PGTA Eagle Ridge and Pradera Verde last January.
One down heading to the final hole Kim, who became the tour’s youngest winner at 16 at Pueblo de Oro last July, missed forcing a playoff from his end of the duel as he came up short on his approach from 166 yards. The Korean, who birdied No. 11 and grabbed the lead after Ababa double-bogeyed the next, settled for a 69 and a 206 and took home P430,000.
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Jhonnel Ababa flashes the No. 1 after nailing his first PGT victory in a long while but actually his fourth win in the season, counting the three in the PGT Asia.
James Ryan Lam carded a 69 to snatch solo fourth at 208 while Michael Bibat moved within a four-under card after 16 holes but he double-bogeyed the next and closed out with a birdie for a 69 for fifth at 209.
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Jhonnel Ababa (center) holds his trophy as he poses with Philippine Golf Tour executive director Narlene Soriano (left) and Club Filipino de Cebu president Edgar Aliño after ruling the rain-shortened ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational in Danao City over the weekend.
While Ababa regained his winning touch, Jobim Carlos’ run of impressive finishes, including two victories and two runner-up efforts, came to a halt with a joint 19th place windup marred by a final round four-over 75 for a 220 in the penultimate leg of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.