ANTIPOLO CITY — Clyde Mondilla fired a 3-under 68 — his “highest” score in three days — to stretch his lead to six and inch closer to the title of the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic yesterday here.
The Del Monte ace made his first bogey after 50 holes for a 19-under 194 total spiked by an 11-under 60 start and a 5-under 66 in the second round at the par-71 Nicklaus course.
Angelo Que tried to mount an early charge with four frontside birdies and kept rolling at the back to finish with an eagle-aided 33.
But his 64 could only thrust him from fourth to second at 200 although he chopped four precious shots off Mondilla’s previous 10-stroke lead over him after 36 holes.
Unfancied Albin Engino bravely held his ground while slugging it out with two of the Tour’s multi-titled campaigners in the featured flight but lost his poise at the finish, dropping two strokes on No. 18 and slipping to third at 202 after a 71.
It was, in fact, Tony Lascuña who faltered in the featured group as the Caliraya Springs leg winner and four-time Order of Merit champion triple-bogeyed the last hole and limped with a 75 as he fell with a thud, tumbling from third to sixth at 207.
Aside from Que, there were a couple of players who sizzled in the heat in moving day but Guido van der Valk’s 65 and Dino Villanueva’s 66 could only move them to joint fourth at 205, too far behind to pose a threat with 18 holes left in the P2 million event sponsored by ICTSI.
But Mondilla proved just as resolved as the rest, shooting three birdies on a par-4 (No. 3), par-5 (No. 6) and par-3 (No. 13) to stay way ahead of the chasing pack then zeroing in on the top P360,000 prize with a pitch-in birdie from the fringe on the last hole that negated his lone miscue in three days of exceptional play at the up-and-down layout.
‘No room to relax since I can’t control the game of my rivals, so it’s going to be a test of mental toughness.’
He, however, remained wary of his chances and his pursuers, including Que, who poisoned himself to replicate his big rally from six strokes down behind Jay Bayron to snare the crown in the inaugural Anvaya Cove Invitational in 2015.
“I need to toughen up, handle my lead and sustain it to the finish,” said Mondilla in Filipino.
“No room to relax since I can’t control the game of my rivals, so it’s going to be a test of mental toughness.”
It was the same the way he did when he ripped the 18th fairway with a solid drive and closed out with a pitch-in birdie after his wedge shot from 80 yards spun and rested on the fringe.
“Actually, it wasn’t hard because I’m familiar with the line, the allowance is straight.”
His last-hole exploit came after he erred in club selection while tackling the par-3 15th, a miscue that ended what would’ve been another bogey-free round.
Nagkamali sa club selection, mahangin, so pag-pitch ko, lumusot at mahirap yung par-putt, mga 16 feet pa, kaya pinadikit ko na lang,” he said.
But he pulled away in standings although Que is so motivated by his big comeback at Anvaya Cove eight years ago and can’t wait to join Mondilla and Engino in today’s final flight.
“I did it (rally from 6 shots down) to win the first Anvaya Invitational,” said Que, who anchored his fiery third round assault with a chip-in eagle from 25 yards on No. 16.
But with his long game in sync with his iron play and putting, Mondilla is confident of scoring his first win since emerging on top of a crowded five-man playoff in the last PGT Asia event at Pradera Verde in 2020.
“Unlike in my previous tournaments, my driving performance in the past three days has been consistent,” said Mondilla, who during the two-month PGT break, is eyeing a spot in two Thailand tournaments on the ADT next month.
“I am currently on the reserved list but, hopefully, I get a slot,” he added.
Meanwhile, the PGT will take a two-month break after seven legs that produced different sets of winners with two tournaments lined up in Mindanao in September.
