Thai Itthipat Buranatanyarat survived American Casey O’Toole’s early fiery run then bucked Orlan Sumcad’s late hole-in-one with his own brilliant finish – a seven-foot birdie on the 72nd hole, winning the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic crown by one at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Cavite yesterday.

It was indeed a thriller of a finale in the $60,000 event, the last of two Asian Development Tour events in the country, as the lead changed hands in every swirl of the wind and every birdie and bogey made with Sumcad scoring an ace on No. 16 to grab the lead, sparking hopes for a breakthrough win for the reticent Filipino shotmaker.

But in the end, it was Itthipat, who came out triumphant in a day-long battle of shotmaking, iron play, putting – and nerves – clinching it with that delicate putt from that crushed Sumcad, who earlier missed his own birdie bid from around 14 feet.

“I was really nervous out there and I was really trying hard to hang in there. I was struggling to make birdies after the turn and I was extremely thrilled when I finally made it on the last to win. I told myself to stay calm out there despite the pressure,” said Itthipat, 22, whose closing 72 and a five-under 283 total netted him the hotly disputed championship worth $10,500.

It was Itthipat’s first victory on the circuit after losing by three to compatriot Panuwat Muenlek in the PGM Terengganu Championship in Malaysia last month and it completed the foreign players’ sweep of the two ADT events here after Malaysian Arie Irawan beat Miguel Tabuena by four at ICTSI Eagle Ridge last week.

Sumcad looked headed to redeeming the locals’ pride after scoring his second career ace on the 187-yard No. 16 to snatch a one-shot lead over Itthipat but made a second straight bogey on the next when he drove out of bounds then missed a playoff-clinching putt from 12 feet on the 18th. He also shot a 72 for solo second at 284 worth $6,900.

O’Toole charged back from four shots back with a string of early birdies, took the lead on No. 12 only to yield it with a bogey on No. 14 then blew it all with another bogey on the 18th. He finished with a 70 for solo third at 285 worth $4,200.

Halfway leader Frankie Miñoza rebounded from a disastrous third round 77 with a 70 as he tied opening day joint pacesetter Paul Harris, also of the US, who made a 71, at fourth with 286s. Each got $3,000.

Current ADT Order of Merit Hsieh Chi-hsien of Taiwan matched par 72 and ended up solo sixth at 287 while Finland’s Janne Kaske fired a 69 to tie Singapore’s Mitchell Slorach, who carded a 70, at 288, in the event which also served as the fourth leg of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.

Cassius Casas, one behind Itthipat at the start of the final round, fell behind with an opening double-bogey and a bogey on the third, limping with a 77 to drop to joint ninth at 289 with Japanese Masaru Takahashi and first day co-leader Poosit Supupramai of Thailand, who both had 71s.

O’Toole, in a flight ahead of the final group and four strokes behind Itthipat after 54 holes, got back into contention with a four-birdie binge at the front as Casas, the third player in the championship flight, dropped off the race with poor start. O’Toole wrested the lead with another birdie on No. 12 but succumbed to pressure just as quickly with bogeys on No. 14 and 18.

Sumcad took the cue and tied Itthipat with his own birdie on the 12th but like O’Toole ahead, he bogeyed No. 14, enabling Itthipat to regain the lead. But unlike the American, Sumcad fought back with an ace on the 16th off a perfect tee-shot using a Yonex 7-iron and Srixon ball No. 1.

Itthipat stood in awe but still went on to finish a routine par then watched Sumcad blow it out on the 17th tee when the Filipino drove out of bounds while battling the strong wind to the right. Sumcad salvaged a bogey and headed to the final hole tied with the Thai, who, however, dashed the Filipino’s playoff hopes with that closing birdie.

“I hit it perfect off the mound on No. 17 in the first three days but I miscalculated it today (yesterday),” said Sumcad, who took home $6,900. “But I’m still happy for finishing second, at least I now have something to support my campaign in the next tournaments.”

Click to see more details of the 2015 ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic

1 2 ... 8 ►