Hong edges Sinfuego in playoff, bags Pueblo title

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Charles Hong put on a fiery finish of seven-under 65 in a virtual backside shootout with Richard Sinfuego, then clinched the crown in sudden death for his breakthrough victory in the P1 million ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship at the Pueblo layout here yesterday.

Hong, a sophomore pro whose best finish in the season was sixth at ICTSI Sherwood Hills, kept his sizzling form in the playoff, nearly coming up with a pitch-in birdie while Sinfuego, who also closed out with a solid 67, blew it with an errant second shot for bogey. Both finished with eight-under 208s.

The victory was worth P200,000 for the 24-year-old Hong, who had just one missed cut in the first 10 legs of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“This win means so much for my career,” said Hong. “Everyone is always looking forward for his first win.”

It was a fitting ending to an explosive windup by the winning coach of Team South in the country’s version of the Ryder Cup duel last June, who trailed Sinfuego by two after 36 holes and fell behind by four with a bogey on No. 1 coupled by Sinfuego’s birdie.

But he suddenly went hot by coming up with a cluster of birdies – four – from No. 5 to tie Sinfuego but reeled back again with another bogey on the ninth.

Rufino Bayron, the third man in the championship flight, stayed within one during that stretch, even after Hong opened the backside with another birdie to tie again. But Bayron stepped aside when Hong and Sinfuego slugged it out in a thrilling shootout the last eight holes.

Sinfuego, chasing an end to a long title drought, fired back-to-back birdies from No. 11 to surge ahead again but Hong closed to within one again with a birdie on No. 13. After they parred the par-4 14th, Sinfuego went two-up again with another birdie on the 15th.

But Hong struck back by closing out with three straight birdies against Sinfuego’s lone birdie on the 17th to set up the playoff.

“I didn’t even know the scores until the last three holes,” said Hong. “But the playoff was an interesting twist. You know you will end up either No. 1 or No. 2 and you just have to go for it. At that point, the pressure was off.”

Bayron also finished with a decent 68 but settled for third at 210 worth P65,000 while Christopher delos Santos also shot a 68 for a 212 and wound up fourth in the 11th leg of the 15-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Orlan Sumcad shot a 70 to finish fifth at 213 while Negros Occidental leg champion Zanie Boy Gialon rallied with a 68 to tie John Hay stage winner Marvin Dumandan and Mhark Fernando, who had 69s, at sixth at 214.

Ebarra Quiachon placed ninth at 215 with a 215 after a 70 while Rey Pagunsan matched par 72 for a 218 and finished 10th in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by ICTSI.

The other backers of the event were Empire Golf, Titleist, Footjoy, Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno, Srixon, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp with Balls, Studio 23,Pinoygolfer.com and Inquirer Golf as media partners.