Singson claims 2nd LPGT crown

ANTIPOLO, Philippines — Mafy Singson closed out with a steady 71 that proved too much for her rivals to overcome as she bested Daniella Uy by three while also thwarting fellow amateur Lois Kaye Go’s late rally to secure the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge crown here yesterday.

It was way off her superb 69 in the weather-suspended play that drove her past a throng of rivals Wednesday for a one-stroke lead over Uy and Korean amateur Min Yeong Kim but enough to hoist a second Ladies Philippine Golf Tour trophy with a 54-hole total of 219.

Uy bogeyed three of the first five holes but went on a three-birdie binge from No. 10, only to struggle with a bogey-birdie-bogey run from No. 14 for a 73 and a 222 while Sarah Ababa matched Singson’s second round three-under card to tie Go, who put in a 71, at 223.

But while Singson claimed the championship trophy, Uy, who scored her maiden win at Riviera in 2021, took the top purse of P90,000 while Ababa pocketed P64,500 as the second-best pro in the sixth leg of this year’s circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

“Since I was leading most of the way, I just played it steady and told myself, ‘if it’s for me, it’s for me,’” said Singson.

Meanwhile, Reymon Jaraula dealt with Ira Alido’s unceasing jab and Clyde Mondilla’s searing strike with the poise of a seasoned campaigner, coming away of the third round skirmish unscathed and still on top by two with a 72 to zero in on the men’s crown.

Jaraula pulled away by five shots with a solid frontside 34 but bogeys on Nos. 10 and 18 enabled Alido, who endured a wild five-birdie, five-bogey round for his version of an even-par round at Valley South, and a charging Mondilla, who turned in a second straight 69 highlighted by an eagle on No. 7 for the second straight day, to set the stage for a furious chase for the crown worth P360,000.

“I made a good start but I struggled with my putting again at the back and missed a number of (birdie) chances, “ said Jaraula, whose even-par round and a nine-under 207 aggregate moved him 18 holes away from posting his second career victory.

“I think I need to shoot a three-under to win (again),” added Jaraula, hoping to find his touch in his biggest test since upending Tony Lascuna on the second extra hole to snare the Pueblo de Oro crown in 2019.

Ranged against Alido and Lascuna after emerging on top of a weather-suspended play Wednesday, Jaraula said he didn’t flinch, stressing: “I wasn’t rattled since I’ve been playing with them for quite some time.”