Simply unstoppable

CARMONA, Cavite — Minhyuk Song put the finishing touches to a dominant week in a final round that had more drama in the battle for second spot where two Filipino young guns went contrasting ways in the final nine holes of the 108th Philippine Open that produced a baby-faced, 22-year-old South Korean champion.

With the tournament already in the bag as early as Saturday afternoon, the Asian Tour rookie Song went about his business like a seasoned veteran, as a level 70 effort still gave him a 265 total for a seven-stroke victory that meant the second Tour win of his very young, very promising career.

And while Song even bloated a seven-shot overnight lead to nine at one point, the battle for the crumbs took center stage with Sean Ramos having sole possession of that entering his final nine while playing in the penultimate flight with Justin Quiban.

Quiban ultimately wound up as the best Filipino finisher after closing out with a 69 and ending in an eighth place tie along with three others at 273, as Ramos, after an outward 30 that featured five birdies, failed to keep things together in the back nine.

While Song displayed composure and poise way beyond his years, he later on admitted to being on panic mode at the halfway mark of the back nine when he signed for his first double bogey for the week, on the 15th, after he found the pond on his approach.

“I wasn’t minding the scores at that point (because I had a big lead), but when I had a bad drive which led to the bad second shot, I was in panic mode,” Song said through an interpreter.

“But now that I have two wins, I will remember 2026 as a very good year,” Song added.

Heading into his final nine holes, Ramos had it to 10-under and had come to within six of Song, who was in the flight behind. But Ramos’ game unraveled after a double bogey 6 on the 10th, eventually signing for a back nine 41 and a 71 that kept him out of the top 15 at 274.

“It wasn’t really the goal of mine to be the best Filipino,” Quiban said. “Obviously, the goal is to give myself the best opportunities, the best chances to win.”

“But finishing tied for eighth? Had you told me that last week, I’ll accept it,” he went on. “This is what God gave me, and I am happy that God’s given me this opportunity to do what I do.”

Sarit Suwannarut, who started the day in solo second, had a chance to finish the tournament in that spot with a seven-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole for a 69. Instead, he settled for an even-par card like Song and missed the chance to bankroll $59,000 more than the prize money he settled for being in a six-way tie for second that counted countryman Rattanon Wanaasrichan, who shot a 66.

Quiban had a similar length putt to be in that group, but missed his attempt to the left in an earlier flight.

Jaehyun Jeung, another South Korean who represented Southwoods as an amateur for more than five years, fired a 63 to actually be the first to post a 272 at the clubhouse. Another Korean who grew up in the Philippines, Jeunghun Wang, accounted for a 67 to also be in the second place group.

Former Order of Merit (OoM) champion Andy Ogletree of the United States fired a 63 to be in a tie with Quiban and two others, even as Carl Corpus shot a 69 to finish in a tie for 35th spot along with former Presidents Cup star, India’s Anirban Lahiri, who shot a 70, to be at 279.

Meanwhile, Pavit Tangkamolprasert, the Thai who is a 20-year Asian Tour veteran, won his first OoM race after shooting a 71 for a 281 total and was rewarded with a full card for the DP World Tour next season.