‘KRISTINE,’ WHO?: Bibat survives ugly weather to snare ICTSI Negros lead

BACOLOD CITY — Michael Bibat displayed his resiliency and adaptability as he battled through relentless rain and unpredictable condition to fire a four-under 66 for a two-stroke lead in the opening round of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic on Tuesday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

The tournament’s opening round was played in challenging conditions due to tropical depression “Kristine,” turning the event into a true test of patience and mental toughness.

Torrential rain early on and persistent drizzle throughout the day left the course soaked and muddy, forcing players to make significant adjustments in both their club selections and approach shots.

Bibat rose to the occasion, managing the front nine with three birdies and a lone bogey to lay a strong foundation. He remained steady on the increasingly difficult back nine, adding birdies on Nos. 10 and 13 while many others struggled to handle the slick, muddy fairways and tough pin placements.

“I was a little lucky because it’s not easy playing under these conditions — rain, wind and difficult pin positions,” said Bibat, whose last victory came in 2022 at Eagle Ridge.

“It (score) could’ve been lower, but I’ll take it.”

He credited his success to his patience, focusing on ball position rather than aggressive play, a strategy crucial under such severe weather.

Trailing Bibat by two strokes are last week’s Bacolod Challenge winner Reymon Jaraula, seasoned veteran Angelo Que, rising star Rupert Zaragosa, and unheralded Francis Morilla, all of whom shot 68s.

Lakewood leg titlist Sean Ramos and Russell Bautista followed closely with 69s, while Tony Lascuña, who topped the Splendido Taal leg in harsh weather conditions, Hyun Ho Rho, Gerald Rosales and Randy Garalde carded even-par 70s, keeping the leaderboard crowded in the early stages of the P2.5-million championship presented by Negros Electric and Power Corp.

Jaraula, aiming for back-to-back wins, managed a composed 2-under on the front nine before encountering challenges in the last nine holes.

“I just played relaxed and took my time regardless if it’s rainy or sunny. We’re already used to this kind of weather conditions,” said Jaraula, who rebounded with two birdies in the last five holes after bogeying Nos. 11 and 13.

Que, a veteran of harsh weather conditions from his experience on the Japan Golf Tour, emphasized the importance of focus and patience on a course that played a lot longer than its 6,424 yardage.

“We’ve faced worse conditions in Japan,” said Que, who secured his first Japan Tour title at the 2018 Top Cup Tokai Classic. “It’s all about staying focused and adjusting your game to the circumstances.”

Despite limited practice, Zaragosa leaned heavily on his caddie for guidance throughout the round.

“My caddie was a huge help, especially since I wasn’t able to practice, but he guided me through,” said Zaragosa, also stressing the importance of staying patient on the course.

Zaragosa, fresh off recovering from a minor injury that caused him to withdraw from last week’s Bacolod Challenge, had a shaky start, recording a double bogey on the third hole but rebounded impressively with an eagle-2 on the ninth. However, a costly mistake on the final hole denied him a chance to secure solo second place.

Morilla, who barely missed solo second place after a bogey on the par-5 18th, reflected on the tough course but remained optimistic about the days ahead.