DAVAO CITY — Justin Quiban came out victorious after an end-of-your-edge quadruple playoff holes against hometown bet Marvin Dumandan Friday in the ICTSI South Pacific Classic crown here.
He pocketed P360,000, a well-deserved reward for staying the course with a bogey-less round of 69, forcing a playoff, and steadying his nerves down the stretch.
Quiban tied the 72 holes with Dumandan at 279.
“My strategy in the playoff was to play it (No. 9) as I did the whole week, lay-up with the 4-iron and try to get it as close as I can and try to make a birdie,” Quiban, who campaigns in the Asian Development Tour in Vietnam, said.
“But after we didn’t make birdies, I decided to use my driver because it’s been my eighth-week straight (of playing) and I wanted this to end. No guts, no glory.”
However, he three-putted the third playoff hole. “Fortunately, I hit the green again in the fourth and two-putted for birdie and got the victory.” Quiban said.
It was Quiban’s first victory in five years after he scored a breakthrough five-shot victory over Jay Bayron in Binitin, Negros Occidental. He also beat Joenard Rates by three to secure the PGT Asian Central Azucarera de Tarlac trophy in late 2017.
It was a sorry setback for Dumandan, who stuffed a brilliant approach shot to within five feet on the par-5 18th to re-ignite his bid to end a 14-year title spell.
But Dumandan’s championship putt from five feet swerved to the right at the finish, letting down the big home crowd who trooped to the meet put up by ICTSI and backed by Kampfortis Golf, the official apparel of the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Dumandan, who last won a title in 2009 at Apo, still ran away with the P236,000 second prize.
In a flight ahead of the championship group, Cebu-based Japanese Nagai forced a three-way tie at nine-under with a fourth straight birdie on the par-5 12th. But he came up short on his approach on the 18th, putted aggressively that sent the ball veering to the left near the fringe and muffed a six-footer.
A product of this year’s PGT Q-School, Nagai wound up with a three-putt bogey for a 69 and missed joining Dumandan and Quiban in the playoff with a 280 total. The former national junior champ ended up third and P136,000.
Sean Ramos shot the day’s best 67 to tie Keanu Jahns, who fired a 69, at fourth at 281 while last year’s winner Tony Lascuña wound up sixth at 282 after a 70.
Dutch Guido van der Valk sizzled with a 68 to join Lloyd Go, Elmer Salvador and Forest Hills and Del Monte legs winner Clyde Mondilla at seventh with 285s.
