Ababa settles for 2nd in Sabah Amateur

MANILA, Philippines - Jhonnel Ababa failed to come up with a final round charge and settled for a three-over 75, finishing second to Malaysia’s Mohd Ismail in the Sabah Amateur Open at the Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club in Sabah, Malaysia last Sunday.

Winner of this event last year, Ababa never got going after starting out with a 74 and stood five strokes behind despite matching par in the second round of the 54-hole tournament. The ICTSI-Cangolf mainstay finished with a 221.

Ismail also closed out with a 75 and ran away with the five-shot win with a 216 while Miguel Tabuena, also of ICTSI-Cangolf, who shared the lead with Ismail in the first round, rallied from a second round 81 with a one-under 71 to salvage third place at 222.

Zanie Gialon also carded a 75 and wound up 11th with a 228 while ICTSI-TCC teammate Sonny Villaber ended up in 24th place with a 235 after a 79.

ICTSI’s Lovelynn Guioguio and Anya Tanpinco also came up short in the ladies side, finishing joint third with 226s after a 76 and 75, respectively, seven shots behind veteran campaigner Ainil Abubakar, who shot three straight 73s for a 219.