All bets are off: Zaragosa, Lumbo hot on South Pacific glory

DAVAO CITY — Fresh from ending a year-long title drought, Rupert Zaragosa hopes to ride his newfound momentum to another victory, while Jeffren Lumbo seeks redemption from a string of agonizing near-misses as a talent-laden field braces for battle in the P2.5-million ICTSI South Pacific Classic, which unwraps Tuesday at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates here.

The two headline a formidable cast bolstered by the return of several aces, including Asian Development Tour (ADT) winners Sean Ramos, Aidric Chan and Carl Corpus, who resume their Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) campaign with contrasting results in last Sunday's Macau Open of the Asian Tour but share one goal: to contend for the crown in the 72-hole championship.

With the season winding down, the penultimate leg of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. takes on added significance, as players scramble for a strong finish in the final two stops, both in Davao, and a chance to boost their earnings before the holidays.

But few will be more driven than Lumbo, who has endured a frustrating run of near-misses.

The Sarangani native suffered back-to-back one-stroke defeats in Negros Occidental and Iloilo, then remained in contention for three days at last week's Pueblo de Oro Championship before faltering in the final round to finish tied for sixth.

South Pacific, however, looms as a prime venue for redemption.

"My game plan for South Pacific is simply to play the way I do during practice. I just want to execute everything I’ve worked on, stay focused, and enjoy the game," said Lumbo in Filipino.

"Coming here, I’m not thinking about defending a title. I’ll just give it my absolute best and surrender the rest to God," he added.

Lumbo’s late stumble at Pueblo kept him out of a chaotic finish where Zaragosa emerged as an unlikely champion — finally converting his steady progress and relentless work ethic into another victory.

"My biggest motivation was my strong desire to win, and I’m so happy that all the everyday practice and sacrifices finally paid off," said Zaragosa, whose Pueblo triumph snapped a year-long title drought.

Averaging just 270 yards off the tee, Zaragosa gives up considerable distance to the Tour's power hitters. But he makes up for it with reliable wood and iron play and a steady putting touch — qualities that could again prove decisive at South Pacific.

The course presents a different test on nearly every hole, with shifting winds adding another layer of difficulty and potentially neutralizing the advantage of the long hitters. Zaragosa will need to bring the same all-around game that carried him to the Pueblo crown if he hopes to sustain his surge.

Ramos, meanwhile, looms as one of the players to watch.

The 22-year-old broke through for an ADT victory in Egypt last month and followed it up with a top-15 finish in Macau last Sunday, giving the young gun a timely confidence boost as he pursues a second PGT title. He captured his maiden Tour victory at Lakewood two years ago.

Corpus and Chan, also ADT winners, will be eager to rebound from their Macau campaigns, where the former wound up 71st after his Asian Games stint, and the latter missed the cut.

Corpus, in particular, could draw inspiration from the season's closing stretch after claiming his first PGT victory in last year's season-ending Valley Golf Challenge.