Henson tops PHL Open

BERRY HENSON proved to be the steadiest golfer down the stretch as he took the crown in the ICSTI-Philippine Open by shooting a closing round score of 73 to outduel Jay Bayron yesterday at the Wack Wack East Course.

Henson nearly blew a three-shot lead with eight holes to go but pounced on Bayron costly back-to-back bogeys from No. 14 to wrest control by two then bucked a three-putt miscue on the 17th with a superb lob shot that set up that clinching three-foot par putt.

The California-based shotmaker, who had 73-283, will head back home to pursue a dream stint on the PGA Tour starting with the Qualifying School beginning Tuesday. And with two victories in the last three weeks, including his romp in the Asian Development Tour’s Clearwater Masters in Malaysia, things should look up indeed for the 32-year-old Henson.

He pocketed the top purse of $47,550, frustrating Bayron, who had a 72-284, and the big gallery that had hoped for a Henson miscue when the American, just one ahead over Bayron heading to the 18th, missed the green for a possible sudden death. He thus became the second American in eight years to win the Open after Edward Michaels humbled the field in 2004 at Riviera.

/Correspondent Jonas Panerio