BACOLOD CITY — Chanelle Avaricio rallied from eight strokes down to edge overnight leader Sarah Ababa by one shot and capture the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic at the Marapara course in Bacolod City on Friday.

Avaricio went into the round focused on fighting for second place but found herself in the thick of things after going 2-under after 10 holes.

She bogeyed two of the next seven holes but banged in a clutch par-putt from 12 feet on 18 to salvage an even-par 70 for a 221 worth P105,000.

“I didn’t expect it. It (Ababa’s 8-shot lead) was pretty big, so my mindset was just to play well, play my best. Since I didn’t see the scores, I was just trying to go for second place,” said Avaricio, who had three victories last year.

“I played well at the front (one-under) and from there I was hitting good shots. But it was only on No. 16 when I saw the scores. I just tried to keep myself composed and play through the round.

Avaricio admitted to being nervous in the last two holes.

“But while I bogeyed the 17th, I was able to save par on the last,” she said.

In the final group, Ababa hung on to the lead despite a frontside 40 marred by a double bogey on 4. But the two-day leader bogeyed four of the last five holes, missing a chance of forcing a playoff from just about the same distance where Avaricio buried her last putt.

She skied to a 79 and wound up second on 222 for P75,250.

Rianne Malixi took the amateur honors with a second straight 73 as she tied Mariano, who carded a 75, at third at 224, while Daniella Uy also wavered with a 75 for fifth at 225, followed by Chihiro Ikeda, who pooled a 227 after a 76, Harmie Constantino, who assembled a 230 after a 78, and amateur Laurea Duque, who shot a 79 for joint ninth at 233 with Florence Bisea, who made an 82.