BACOLOD CITY — Pauline del Rosario pulled off one of the most incredible comebacks in Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) history, rallying from six strokes down to stun Seo Yun Kim with a final-round charge that bordered on the spectacular.

Clutch birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 capped a blistering four-under 66, rattling Kim’s composure and resolve. After dominating the first 36 holes of the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge with rounds of 66 and 68, Kim struggled with a birdie-less 73 in the final round.

That seven-shot swing handed Del Rosario a dramatic one-stroke victory at 206 at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club here Thursday — a triumphant return to form for the former LPGT Order of Merit champion.

“It feels good to win again, but I don’t think it has fully sunk in yet. I was struggling with my game a lot,” said Del Rosario, whose last LPGT win came at Caliraya Springs in 2023 following a brilliant rookie campaign in 2017 that saw her rack up for four victories and win the OOM crown.

She also became the first Filipina to win an event on the LPGA Tour of Taiwan in that same year.

The win marked a meaningful milestone in Del Rosario’s comeback journey, following a series of underwhelming performances on the Epson Tour. She admitted she arrived with no expectations after being ill just a week prior.

“I honestly just came in with a game plan of keeping it on the fairway and on the green,” she said.

“I’ve been working on a lot of techniques with my coach (Carito Villaroman), so I didn’t expect to place near the top this week.”

Del Rosario began her charge with a frontside 34, including two birdies against a bogey. As Kim bogeyed the first hole and No. 9, the lead narrowed to three. Despite Kim’s steady play early on the back nine, Del Rosario birdied the challenging par-3 10th from three feet then came through with a birdie-birdie burst from the 15th that tied the match at four-under overall and shifted the momentum.

Kim cracked under pressure with a costly bogey on the 17th, and Del Rosario maintained her slim edge with a composed par on the final hole. She two-putted from 45 feet for par, while Kim missed her bid from 30 feet to force a playoff.

Kim finished second at 207, her bid to finally score a breakthrough after six runner-up finishes ended in another disappointment.

Defending champion Daniella Uy carded a 69 to grab solo third at 209, while Florence Bisera and Sarah Ababa shared fourth place at 211 after matching 71s, and Mafy Singson surged with a 69 to tie for sixth at 212 alongside Lois Kaye Go (71).

Tiffany Lee’s even-par 70 secured her eighth at 214, while Chihiro Ikeda and Kayla Nocum fired identical 68s to finish joint ninth at 216.

But the day — and spotlight — belonged to Del Rosario.

“My putting really clicked in the last two days,” she said.

“I stayed patient even after shooting three-over in the first round. Nothing was dropping, but yesterday they did and today I believed they would.”

The win, worth P90,000, also marked a personal first for Del Rosario — her maiden victory outside Luzon.

“This is my first time to play outside Luzon, ever in my life,” she shared.

“The course is more traditional and tree-lined. It’s shorter, but the greens are tough.”

With her confidence restored and her game trending upward, Del Rosario’s victory could signal the beginning of a strong resurgence.