THAI THANYAKON Khrongpha won the title in the ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat Championship as he closed the final round withe a five-under 67 for a three-shot victory over Juvic Pagunsan at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa City, Batangas yesterday.
Not even a final hole bogey could stop the 21-year-old Khrongpha from humbling the local field and pocketing the crown worth $8,126.
He wound up with a 15-under 273, launching his fightback from the middle of the pack with a fiery six-under 66 in the weather-delayed third round to tie Tony Lascuna at the helm early yesterday. He kept the momentum with that 31 that featured three straight birdies from No. 5 and highlighted by an eagle-3 on the par-5 ninth.
That blazing start put Khrongpha five shots clear off Lascuna, the solo second round leader, who struggled with his putting early on while settling for an even 36 after nine holes. Lascuna birdied two of the first five holes coming home but ran out of holes in his comeback bid and like Khrongpha, bogeyed the final hole for a 71 to yield the runner-up honors to Juvic Pagunsan.
Pagunsan, who with teener Miguel Tabuena, bounced back to within one off Khrongpha and Lascuna at the start of the final round of the event, found his win streak snapped despite a three-under 69, ending up three strokes behind Khrongpha with a 12-under 276 worth $5,616. Lascuna wound up with a 277 for third worth $3,151 while the 16-year-old Tabuena finished solo fourth at 279 after a 72 marred by three straight bogeys from No. 14. He took home $2,551./Correspondent Jonas Panerio