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Golf: Veteran Mardan Mamat claims ICTSI Philippine Open title


It was experience, not youth that prevailed in the ICTSI Philippine Open. Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, with all 17 of his years in the Asian Tour, survived the final round shootout with the Philippines’ Antonio Lascuna, teen Miguel Tabuena, and Korea’s Mo Joong-kyung, to capture the Philippine Open title at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, Sunday.                  Pressure-free and ever-smiling on a rainy afternoon, Mamat finished his tour of the demanding, par-72 East course with a one-under-par 71 and a nine-under-par 280 overall.  He kneeled and kissed the green after the 18th hole, a fitting end to an exhausting week at Wack Wack.                  Second-placer Mo was three-under-par 285 after he had a two-over-par 74.  He earned $32,550 in the second tournament in the Asian Tour schedule. The 44-year-old’s win is his first in Asia’s oldest and most prestigious national championship of the land, winning $47,550 (or approximately P2-million), an Omega Aqua Terra and a BlackBerry phone, while also ending a six-year drought on the Asian Tour circuit, after past victories in the 2004 Indian Open and the 2006 Singapore Masters. Lascuna (69-287) emerged as the top Filipino pro at third place, matching his best in the 2002 Open, also at Wack Wack, where he was second runner-up to champion Rick Gibson.  Japan’s Azuma Ayano (70) also had a 287. Both shared the prize at $16,545 each (P704, 190). “I’m very happy with the way I played this week.  I hit well with my driver and irons and putting was great, too.  I’ll be busy with the Asian Tour starting in April,” said Lascuna, 41. For the 17-year-old Tabuena, it was a forgettable outing in the last round.  Just one down after the third day, he bombed out with bogeys on odd numbers, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, then again on 12, 17 and 18.  He recorded only two birdies on the fourth and sixth and wound up 81 for 291, good for a share of 11th place worth $4,695 (P199, 829). “I put too much pressure on myself.  My target was to hit the fairways and give myself a birdie chance at every hole.  It didn’t happen.  The rains made it harder because the course played longer.  The moment I bogeyed the first, my confidence went down,” said Tabuena, who is aiming to get a regular Asian Tour card. As he and Mamat walked off the 18th green, the champion said to the kid, “You have many years to go.” Ben Fox of the US checked in at fifth with a 72-288.  Australians Adam Blyth (71) and Paul Donahoo (72) held joint sixth with 289.  Angelo Que, a former winner here in 2008, was also 11th.  Ferdie Aunzo (73) and Mars Pucay (76) had a 294 apiece alongside dethroned champion American Berry Henson (76). Elmer Salvador (78-298), Jhonel Ababa (75-299), Cassius Casas (77-301), Artemio Murakami (77-301), Frankie Minoza (72-302), Charles Hong (77-303), Anthony Fernando (77-305) and Jay Bayron (74-310) were the other Filipinos in the full field event. - AMD, GMA News

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