DAVAO CITY — Clyde Mondilla overcame a late charge from a determined field and delivered under pressure to capture the ICTSI South Pacific Classic title Friday at South Pacific Golf Club, ending a two-year drought on the Philippine Golf Tour.
The Del Monte ace closed with a two-under-par 70 for an 18-under 270 total, beating Sean Ramos by two strokes after a tense final round in which five players remained within two shots of the lead.
Mondilla seized control with a near-ace on the par-3 15th and a clutch long-range birdie putt on the 17th, opening a two-shot cushion with one hole remaining. He could even afford to miss a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th and still secure the victory.
Ramos, who carded a 69 for a 272 total, mounted a strong challenge but faltered late. Angelo Que and Keanu Jahns also threatened the lead, keeping the outcome uncertain until the closing holes.
“Sean was gaining strokes on me, so the pressure was really intense. But after No. 10, I settled down, regained my momentum, and started sinking my putts,” Mondilla said in Filipino. He earned the champion’s purse of P448,750.
Mondilla had started the final round with a three-stroke lead but surrendered it after a costly two-shot swing on the 10th hole. Ramos birdied the hole while Mondilla bogeyed, briefly putting the challenger in front.
Mondilla refused to panic, however, and capitalized on Ramos’ bogey on No. 13 to draw level. His near-hole-in-one on the 15th then gave him a timely boost before he delivered the decisive blow on the 17th.
“I was already pumped up after my birdie on No. 15, which nearly went in for a hole-in-one. Then came the 17th, when I sank that long putt. That was when I told myself, ‘This is it. I have to make sure I birdie before Sean does,’” Mondilla said in Filipino.
“Fortunately, I made it, giving me a two-shot lead heading into the final hole and a real chance to close out the win,” he added.
Mondilla said he had believed he could win throughout the week and was pleased that his game held up when the pressure intensified.
“I always believed I had a good chance of winning this week, and thankfully, things worked out in my favor,” he said.
Ramos, seeking his second Philippine Golf Tour victory, briefly gained the upper hand with his four-under-par round. The recent Asian Development Tour winner in Egypt, however, could not sustain his charge after dropping a shot on the 13th, allowing Mondilla to regain control.
Jahns produced the day’s lowest round, firing a nine-under-par 63 despite starting the final round 10 strokes off the lead. Playing under preferred-lies rules, he nearly added another birdie on the 18th to finish with a 273 total, tying Lee Song for third.
Song, who began the final round just one stroke behind Mondilla, struggled after a double bogey on the second hole. He briefly revived his bid with a birdie on No. 10 but finished with an even-par 72.
Que also mounted a serious challenge, moving within one shot of the lead after an eagle-fueled six-under-par round through 17 holes. A three-putt bogey on the last left him with a 67 and a 274 total for fifth place.
Elee Bisera shot a 68 to share sixth place at 278 with Russell Bautista, who carded a 71. Jeffren Lumbo also fired a 68 to tie for eighth at 279 with Ira Alido and Gab Manotoc, who posted rounds of 69 and 73, respectively.
The victory marked Mondilla’s return to the Philippine Golf Tour winner’s circle after a two-year title drought. His previous PGT triumph came in 2024, when he defeated Que at Caliraya Springs.
“This win means a lot because I’m back in the winner’s circle. My confidence is back, too, especially when it comes to handling pressure. I also want to thank my wife, May, and my two daughters, who continue to inspire me,” he said.
Mondilla hopes to carry that renewed confidence into his next tournament, the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic, which starts Tuesday at Apo Golf and Country Club.
“I’m more than ready for the next tournament,” he said. PR