Vintage Miñoza reigns in playoff

MANILA, Philippines - They haven’t seen the last of Frankie Miñoza.

The two-time Philippine Open champion, who was for a long time the face of local pro golf, brandished some of his old brilliance to put a dash of drama by winning in a three-man playoff in the P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at WW’s East course yesterday.

The 51-year-old Miñoza clawed back from seven strokes down, forced a three-way tie on top after 54 holes and clipped Elmer Saban and Rufino Bayron in the playoff to capture the hotly-disputed crown.

Miñoza, who came back from a knee injury and a two-month layoff with a victory in Japan last September, closed out with a two-under 70 then edged Saban with a tap-in par on the second playoff hole to annex his first win on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour since ruling the Pueblo de Oro leg two years ago.

Miñoza, Saban and Bayron finished tied for first at one-under 215 at the close of the three-day tournament as the erstwhile leaders, including Ferdie Aunzo, succumbed to pressure and the East challenge in a topsy-turvy final round that served as a fitting ending to the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

As Bayron bowed out after overshooting the 18th green and going out-of-bounds in the first playoff hole, Miñoza failed to shake off Saban, flubbing an 18-foot birdie putt. But he pulled through in their third stint on the par-4 finishing hole, tapping in for par then watching Saban miss a pressure-packed six-footer to clinch the win and record his only local win this year.

But more than the P450,000 purse, the victory proved to be more of a triumph of the spirit for a player on the twilight of his career.

“This is special since I’m already 51 and there are a lot of young players around. But I showed I can still win,” said Miñoza, who also won his second Philippine Open crown at Wack Wack in 2007.

It was the third playoff victory recorded in the third full season of the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. but it topped the first two in terms of excitement and unpredictability, especially in the final round when at least nine players got into the title picture and the leaders changed after each wayward shot or missed putt.

“I just went on and did my best. I really didn’t expect to win,” said Miñoza, who made it to the top 50 in the world ranking in 1998. “But when I finished, I realized I still had a chance to win because in Wack Wack, anything is possible and a 10-stroke lead is nothing here.”

Saban actually had a chance to win it all in regulation but the Davao native bogeyed the 17th after missing the green and his birdie try from 15 feet on the 18th fell short by an inch.

“I had my chance but I couldn’t cash in on it,” said Saban, who nevertheless banked his biggest earning (P320,000) since winning P92,500 in placing second to Juvic Pagunsan in the ICTSI Apo leg last year.

Bayron, winner at Aboitiz Invitational, settled P210,000 and third place in the tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.

After two 69s, Aunzo’s two-shot lead vanished into thin air with a bogey on No. 2 and a double-bogey on the par-5 No. 5. He was never the same after that string of mishaps, dropping two more strokes on Nos. 7 and 9 for a birdie-less 41. He matched that output at the back for an 82 in one of the biggest collapses in the circuit.

Aunzo wound up with a 220 and tumbled to joint eighth with Tony Lascuna (72), BDO Canlubang Invitational winner Artemio Murakami (75), Randy Garalde (74) and Michael Bibat (73). Each received P54,100.

Rates, tied with Saban at second at the start of the final round, likewise wilted under pressure and finished just a shade better than Aunzo with an 80 for a 221 for a share of 13th with ICTSI Negros Occidental winner and former Phl Open champion Robert Pactolerin (73) and Marlon Dizon (77).

Cassius Casas, winner in the Phl Open at WW in 2001, briefly took the lead with a birdie on No. 11 for a two-under card, only to reel back with a bogey on Nos. 14 and missed joining the playoff with a closing double-bogey. He closed out with a 73 for joint fourth with Charles Hong (71) and Dutch Guido Van der Valk (72) at 217. Each got P118,000.

Anthony Fernando shot a 71 and a 218 for solo seventh.