Payouts, pressure fuel South Pacific Classic

A string of razor-thin victories and dramatic finishes has turned the Philippine Golf Tour into a weekly test of nerve, with the ICTSI South Pacific Classic shaping up as another wide-open battle when the P2.5-million championship tees off Tuesday, 20 October, at South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates in Davao City.

Rupert Zaragosa’s narrow escape at last week’s Pueblo de Oro Championship underscored the depth and unpredictability of the circuit, where no player has established a commanding advantage and the title remains anyone’s for the taking.

Zaragosa bogeyed the final hole without realizing he had done enough to win, with his caddie eventually assuring him of the victory. The triumph ended a year-long title drought and gave him his fourth career crown.

“I actually had a feeling I could win at Pueblo because everything felt right. My game was in good shape, I was hitting the ball well, and my putting was coming together. I felt I had a real chance,” said Zaragosa, who previously won in Iloilo in 2023 and captured back-to-back titles in Negros Occidental in 2024 and 2025.

He stayed within striking distance through three rounds before firing a closing 68 to edge Keanu Jahns and Zanieboy Gialon by one stroke.

Angelo Que edged Aidric Chan by two strokes at Summit Point, Art Arbole scored a breakthrough one-shot victory in Negros Occidental over Jeffren Lumbo, and Jhonnel Ababa snapped a two-year title drought with another one-shot triumph over Lumbo in Iloilo.

Lumbo now seeks redemption after consecutive runner-up finishes. The defending South Pacific champion has reason for confidence after outlasting Russell Bautista in a grueling five-hole playoff last year.

Bautista, meanwhile, hopes to bounce back from that playoff defeat and his late collapse at Pueblo de Oro, where he controlled much of the final round before faltering under pressure.

Jahns and Gialon also return hungry after falling one shot short of forcing a playoff. Jahns missed a 16-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, while Gialon bogeyed the last after joining the leaders down the stretch.

Clyde Mondilla is another contender after finishing fourth at Pueblo de Oro. His driving power put him in control after three rounds, but a lack of birdie opportunities cost him in the final round.

Veteran Que hopes to regain the form that delivered his second victory of the season at Summit Point. With the Order of Merit race tightening, he is also chasing a third win and a chance to retain the season-long honors.

The South Pacific Classic is the penultimate stop of the 10-leg circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. The tour concludes next week at nearby Apo Golf and Country Club, where Ababa and other local aces are expected to lead the home challenge.