Miñoza wins title, P9-M top prize

Often drubbed for his tendency to collapse under tremendous pressure, Frankie Miñoza showed yesterday he had more than enough talent, skill and guts to do the unthinkable.

Miñoza pulled off perhaps his greatest triumph in the rich Japan PGA Tour as he fired a five-under-par 66 to overcome a seven-stroke deficit and win the $917,000 Fujisankei Classic by one stroke.

"I am very happy that I could make a come-from-behind victory, overcoming a seven-stroke deficit," said Miñoza, who won the top purse of $183,000 or a whopping P9,150,000.

The 41-year-old Miñoza finished with an eight-under-par 276 total for his first win since the Kirin Open in 1998, when he also won the Philippine Open for the first time, and sixth overall in Japan.

And the victory came after Miñoza made a series of sputtering finishes after putting himself in contention this season, including in the Chunichi Crowns last week where the ace Filipino shotmaker, after moving within three strokes off the pace in the second round, fumbled with a 75 in the third day and bowed out of contention.

He actually appeared to have wavered again this week when after closing to within three shots with a 68 in the second round, Miñoza had a so-so even par round at the par-71 Kawana Hotel golf course to fall behind by seven strokes off Taiwanese Lin Keng-chi.

But the reticent Miñoza gunned down six birdies against one bogey for that 66 and a one-stroke victory over Tsukasa Watanabe of Japan, who shot a 69 and placed second with a 277 total.

Lin, seeking his first victory in Japan, shot a disappointing 75 with three birdies, five bogeys and one double-bogey and tied for third with Tomohiro Kondoh of Japan at 278. Kondoh shot 70.

Over in Stockbridge, Georgia, Jennifer Rosales fumbled with a one-over par 73 and slid to 46th, nine strokes off joint leaders Sophie Gustafson, Heather Daly-Donofrio and Beth Daniel heading into the final round of the Chick-fil-A Championships at the par-72 Eagle’s Landing County Club course.

Dorothy Delasin rebounded with a 71 after a 74 to make the cut in the 54-hole tournament although she stood 10 strokes off the pace at 145

Gustafson fired a 65 to tie Daly-Donofrio (66) and Daniel (68) at 135 as they shared a one-stroke lead over Catriona Matthew (65) and Annika Sorenstam, who moved in contention for a fifth crown in the LPGA Tour with a 66.