ILOILO – Zanieboy Gialon surged past two-day leader Fidel Concepcion with a composed and dominant performance as he carded a bogey-free 66 but faced a formidable challenger in Jhonnel Ababa in the third round of the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge here on Thursday.

Gialon capitalized on Concepcion’s early struggles and an early burst of birdies to finish the day with a solid four-under card and a 11-under 199 total, positioning himself for a long-awaited title victory at the par-70 Iloilo Golf and Country Club.

But Ababa shook off a wobbly frontside performance of one-over 37, rattling off four birdies in the last nine holes to fire a 67 and assume the challenger’s role at 201.

“I feel like my putting is in great shape, which is why I’m confident I can make birdies,” said Ababa in Filipino.

He also dismissed any notion of feeling pressure heading into the final round, particularly from contenders like Ababa, saying: “There’s no pressure from them. The real challenge is the course itself.”

Despite an inconsistent front nine, Ababa found his rhythm on the back nine, sinking four birdies and setting the stage for an intense final round in the P2.5 million ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and presented by MORE Electric and Power Corp.

Ababa remarked his driving will be key in his bid for the title worth P450,000, saying: “If my driving improves, I’ll gain the confidence I need.”

However, he admitted he could have played better. “My game wasn’t that great today. I missed many greens, but my putting saved me,” said Ababa in Filipino, hoping to emulate the success of his cousin, Sarah Ababa, who won the 54-hole ladies’ division, and repeat their Apo feats last March.

Meanwhile, erstwhile two-day leader Concepcion struggled with his game, posting a three-over through 16 holes. He managed to salvage his round with a birdie on the 17th, finishing with a 72 and tying with Reymon Jaraula at 203.

Though disappointed with his performance, Concepcion is still hopeful for a breakthrough win in the tournament, sponsored by ICTSI and supported by PGTI’s official apparel partner Kampfortis Golf.

“Things didn’t go as planned today. I wasn’t able to execute the shots I wanted, especially off the tee. Plus, my putter was cold,” said Concepcion. He had been strong in the first two rounds, firing 11 birdies against two bogeys, but could only manage one birdie in this pivotal round, which was marred by three bogeys.

“I couldn’t make any putts today, which isn’t the formula for a good score. But considering the circumstances, I’m still pleased with a 2-over,” he added.

Jaraula also kept his title hopes alive with a second consecutive 68, closing strong with back-to-back birdies.

Joining them in contention are Ira Alido and Dino Villanueva, who both fired three-under rounds to tie Tony Lascuña, who matched par 70, at 205.

Michael Bibat mounted a rally with a 68, tying Guido van der Valk, who slipped with a 71, at 206, while reigning Philippine Masters champion Angelo Que dropped to 10th at 207 after a 69.

Gialon, riding the momentum from a six-birdie front nine in his second round 64, opened his third-round assault with back-to-back birdies from No. 3. These crucial shots helped the Davaoeño erase a two-stroke deficit, further aided by Concepcion’s bogey on the first hole.

While Gialon couldn’t match his previous six-under round, his 66 was more than enough to outclass a competitive field as he seeks his first championship since the Caliraya Springs Championship in 2022, a win that ended a five-year title drought.

Despite his lead, the road to victory remains perilous for Gialon.