Castro rules IIT Pradera; Tan averts collapse

LUBAO, Pampanga — Zach Castro finally laid claim to a long-elusive crown, delivering a blistering finish to capture the ICTSI Pradera Verde Intercollegiate Tour (IIT) leg in dramatic fashion here on Monday.

The La Salle-1 standout birdied his final two holes, including a pressure-packed finish on the par-4 eighth and the closing ninth of the Pinatubo layout, leading to a five-under 67 to upend early clubhouse leader Sean Granada by two strokes.

After two close calls — a runner-up finish in Round 1 at Royal Northwoods and a joint fifth-place effort at Splendido Taal — Castro wasn’t going to be denied a third time in the four-round Tour co-developed by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation.

Locked in a thrilling duel with Granada, the College of Saint Benilde-I ace who carded a 69 in an earlier flight, Castro summoned nerves of steel down the stretch.

The decisive moment came on the par-5 sixth, where Castro’s clinical approach set up a birdie to tie Granada at three-under. Then came the fireworks — a birdie on the eighth and a composed finish on the ninth — as he stormed past Granada to finally capture the individual crown in style.

“It’s all about attitude,” said Castro, reflecting on his performance. I know the putts will drop eventually.”

Castro also acknowledged the challenging conditions, saying: “The course is in great shape, but it’s just so hot out there. Hydration was key.”

“Sean’s a good friend, and I know what he’s capable of,” he said.

“He was 2-under going into his last hole. When I refreshed the scores and saw he finished at 3-under, I was on my approach shot on 17. That’s when I knew — I had to birdie the last two holes (to win).”

If the men’s finish was a showcase of clutch execution, the women’s side proved to be a test of survival — and Shane Tan barely held on.

The Ateneo-2 mainstay seemed poised for a runaway victory after dominating the field for most of the day. Standing on the 16th tee with a four-shot cushion over UP-1’s Addie Manhit, Tan looked well on her way to her first Tour title with a par.

Then the collapse came.

Tan unraveled with back-to-back triple bogeys on the final two holes, ending up with a 90 that opened the door for Manhit to stage a dramatic comeback.

Manhit, the Caliraya Springs leg champion, capitalized with a birdie on 16 to close the gap. But just when a playoff looked inevitable, she also faltered under pressure — bogeying 17 and making a triple-bogey 7 on the last to finish with a 91, missing a golden opportunity to steal the win.