Rookie Gialon tops NegOr classic

ZANIE BOY Gialon belied his rookie status with a steady putting game as he shot in a tap-in on the par-3 8th hole to down Tony Lascuna in the playoff and claim the title in the rain-drenched P1 million ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in Bacolod City yesterday.

Heavy rains rendered the par-70 layout unplayable, forcing the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. to cancel the final round of the 54-hole event and hold a playoff between Gialon and Lascuna, who finished tied for the lead at 134 after 36 holes of play.

Gialon, 22, held his ground against the veteran Lascuna in sudden death, hacking his 6-iron to within 20 feet and barely missing a birdie putt.

Lascuna pulled his tee-shot short of the green and flubbed a par-putt from eight feet to yield the crown to Gialon, who pocketed P200,000 and vowed to go for a follow-up in next week’s ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at Sta. Barbara.

Lascuna settled for P120,000, raising his front-running earnings to P1,223,750 in the Order of Merit but absorbing his second straight playoff setback here aftert losing to Robert Pactolerin in a four-hole playoff last year. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio