Dumandan sizzles in the rain

GEN. TRIAS, Cavite, Philippines – Marvin Dumandan battled back from four strokes down to turn back Tony Lascuña then beat Jay Bayron by three to capture the Philippine Golf Tour’s ICTSI Eagle Ridge Invitational with a closing one-under par 71 in the rain-hit final round at the Eagle Ridge’s Dye course here yesterday.

Dumandan leaned on his power to tackle the softened par-72 up-and-down layout, wresting control after only nine holes with a 35 on two birdies against a bogey as Lascuña and Bayron faltered with bogeys in the early going and never recovered.

The 29-year-old Dumandan, who started the final round four behind Lascuña and two adrift of Bayron, took a three-shot lead over Bayron on No. 11 when play was stopped for an hour due to heavy rains. But the big-hitting Davaoeño coasted to victory at resumption as no player was able to make a charge under tougher playing condition.

He wound up with a three-over 219 for a three-shot victory over Bayron, who limped home with a 76 for a 222 while Lascuña hobbled with a bogey-littered 79 and tumbled down to third with a 223 in a tie with Christopher delos Santos, who closed out with a 75.

“I’ve been hitting it long and straight, giving me easy shots for my approach,” said Dumandan, who claimed the top P200,000 purse staked in the P1 million event sponsored by ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.) and backed by MJ Carr Golf.

It was actually Dumandan’s second victory in five months as he also ruled the ICTSI Apo Classic last December, the last of three legs in the initial revival of the ICTSI local circuit late last year.

With a runner-up finish to Danny Zarate in the first leg at Mt. Malarayat last February, things are indeed looking up for the former national team mainstay, who learned a lot from his disqualification in The Country Club Invitational early this year for signing a wrong scorecard.

“I learned a lot from that mistake and I worked hard to really improve my game,” said Dumandan, who averages 300 yards off the tee.

Bayron settled for P120,000 runner-up prize while Lascuña and Delos Santos took home P57,000 each.

Jerome Delariarte matched par 72 to finish fifth with a 224 while rookie pro Ferdie Aunzo shot the day’s best score of two-under 70 to gain a share of sixth with Jonard Rates (79) and Jun Bernis (73) with 226.

Zarate failed to recover from a second round 77 and closed out with a 79, finishing in joint 17 with Ebarra Quiachon (73) at 230 after ruling the Mt. Malarayat leg by three shots.

Rey Pagunsan wound up ninth with a 227 after a 77 while Benjie Magada (76), Elmer Saban (76) and Ruben Sasutil (74) and low amateur Mhark Fernando (74) shared 10th place at 228.