Jahns bags Match Play title

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Keanu Jahns is officially staking his claim as one of Philippine golf’s rising stars. The Fil-German phenom overpowered seasoned campaigner Guido van der Valk with a commanding 3&2 victory to capture the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational title at TCC on Friday.

The win didn’t just earn Jahns P280,000 — it cemented his status as the winningest player at the close of the 10-stage Philippine Golf Tour, capping a phenomenal end-of-season surge that included back-to-back triumphs in Caliraya Springs and Bacolod last August.

Jahns came into the final brimming with confidence after a lopsided 6&4 semifinal win over Reymon Jaraula. He stumbled out of the gate, finding the water on the first hole, but quickly erased any doubts that the shaky start would derail him.

Van der Valk, riding high from his own 3&2 semifinal win over Clyde Mondilla, tried to dictate the early pace. But facing one of the tour’s longest and most explosive players proved a daunting task.

Once Jahns found his rhythm, the match shifted decisively. With trademark power off the tee and a sharper putting stroke, he birdied the par-5 second from 12 feet to square the match, then grabbed the lead on the sixth hole — a lead he defended with poise.

At the turn, he was just 1-up, a precarious margin in match play. But it was clear he was tightening his grip. The back nine saw Jahns strike with renewed aggression, winning two of the first five holes to build a three-hole cushion, which he maintained with the confidence of a player rapidly maturing into elite form. By the 16th, victory was secured.

“Everything clicked today,” Jahns said. “My putting was better — I read the greens well and holed more putts. I drove it great, and my irons were solid except for that first hole. After that, everything was okay.”

More than okay — it was dominant.

The win capped a breakthrough season for Jahns, highlighted by victories in Caliraya and Binitin, and a campaign strong enough to challenge Angelo Que for the Order of Merit, even if he came up just short.

“Of course, this win means a lot,” Jahns added. “I’m happy to finish the year with a win. Hopefully, I can keep this going into next season.”

Van der Valk settled for P200,000, while Clyde Mondilla claimed third place and P150,000 after a 5&4 win over Reymon Jaraula, who took home P120,000 for fourth.

With three wins and growing mastery of both stroke play and match play, Jahns sees this as only the beginning. Despite his dominant season, he’s already looking ahead to 2026.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” he admitted. “Definitely a little more distance off the tee — it’s a big advantage. I’ll fine-tune a few things in my swing to prepare for next year. I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing and hopefully the results will come.”

If this year’s strides are any indication, the extra speed, strength, and refinement Jahns seeks could make him even harder to beat on the Philippine Golf Tour next season.