Go recovers, hikes Pinewoods lead to 12

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – After two days of near-flawless golf, Lloyd Go finally showed signs of vulnerability — but with conditions turning unexpectedly benign and his closest challengers failing to capitalize, the Cebuano ace moved within sight of the ICTSI Pinewoods Challenge crown with 18 holes still to play.

Go endured a birdie-less front nine marked by errant shots and missed opportunities, yet still managed a 70, thanks to a vintage back-nine surge that stretched his lead to a commanding 12 strokes after three rounds of the P2.5-million championship at the par 35-37 Pinewoods Golf Club here on Thursday.

The 31-year-old, who built a massive nine-shot cushion with brilliant opening rounds of 64 and 67, recovered from a shaky 38 by firing six birdies against a lone bogey over the closing holes, highlighting his late charge with a scorching four-birdie run from No. 14, effectively leaving his nearest pursuers in his wake.

His strong finish brought him to a 54-hole total of 15-under 201, widening his gap over Jeffren Lumbo, who stumbled with a 73 for a 213, and leaving him in prime position to secure the P441,500 top prize and a second Philippine Golf Tour title after a breakthrough at Palos Verdes in 2024.

Ironically, the third round presented the field with its best chance to mount a comeback. Unlike the previous day, when strong winds battered Pinewoods and compounded the challenges of the already demanding mountain layout, moving day unfolded under near-ideal conditions. The calmer weather and lighter breeze were expected to produce low scores and tighten the leaderboard after Go’s uncharacteristic struggles on the front nine.

Instead, no serious challenge emerged.

While Go briefly faltered, the chasing pack failed to seize the opportunity, leaving the leader largely unthreatened despite his faulty start. With the elements no longer a major factor, Go once again showcased the shot-making that defined his dominant opening rounds, taming the backside with a 32.

"The first three holes were the hardest here, and I actually played them pretty well, so it was a good start,” said Go, who opened with regulation pars. “I hit a lot of good shots on the front nine, but I kept ending up in the wrong spots – unlike in the first two rounds – which led to some bogeys.”

He added, “But I steadied myself on the back nine.”

Not only did he regain control, he also pulled away again, all but securing a second PGT victory.

“I’ll just stick to my own game and try to find more fairways and greens,” he said of his final-round approach.

He also emphasized the need to avoid repeating his two three-putt mistakes and two bogeys from water hazards — errors that, despite everything, barely dented his lead. In fact, he even stretched his advantage to a near-insurmountable margin, putting him on track to surpass the nine-stroke victory by Reymon Jaraula over Rupert Zaragosa at Del Monte last year.

His commanding advantage has now put him on the verge of turning Friday's final round into little more than a victory march on a course he had never played before this week.

That unfamiliarity never showed.

The Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour campaigner, who also sharpened his game while competing in Japan last year, immediately solved Pinewoods' rolling terrain, narrow fairways and slick greens. He opened with a spectacular 64 highlighted by two eagles under preferred lies rules, then backed it up with a 67 in windy conditions to build a huge cushion entering the last 36 holes.

Even when adversity finally surfaced in the third round, Go's composure never wavered. And with no rival able to mount a meaningful charge despite the favorable weather, the tournament remained firmly in his hands.

Clyde Mondilla turned in the day’s best of 69 but still stood too far behind at 217, with Rupert Zaragosa matched par 72 for a 218, and Tony Lascuña shot a 70 to earn a share of fifth at 219 with Randy Garalde, who also fired a two-under card, Taewon Ha, who carded a 71, Fidel

Concepcion, who posted a 72, and Lee Song, who faltered with a 75.

The third round also featured two hole-in-one feats, with Mars Pucay and Guido van der Valk acing the 120-yard No. 12. Pucay, a hometown favorite, used a 52-degree wedge and a Srixon No. 4 ball, while van der Valk relied on a 54-degree wedge and a Srixon ball to record the eighth hole-in-one of his career. Both players received a P20,000 bonus from the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Pucay and van der Valk finished with 73s as the former moved to joint 12th at 222 and the latter gained a share of 15th at 223. (Pool story)