For one, it has somehow helped him slay the ghost of his past over the old, fabled East course of the Wack Wack where many a dream for the 42-year-old Bukidnon native were shattered in the past — both as an amateur and a pro.
Second, a two-day total of 142 gave Miñoza a clear shot at the same title he won four years ago at the Riviera, and the juicy $31,000 top purse which is not even close to what he earns for a top three finish in the rich Japan Tour — but a bounty just the same.
At two-under for the tournament, Miñoza is just five strokes off the leader, fellow Japanese Tour veteran Rick Gibson of Canada who is looking good despite a three-year layoff that started in 1998.
"Pero dito sa course na ito, kahit 3-up or 4-up going to the last three holes, delikado ka pa," he added, typifying the toughness of this year’s closing holes, particularly the dreaded No. 17 (formerly No. 8) — a short par-3 which has an elevated turtle-back green with bunkers on both sides.
"Pero par ako doon sa first two rounds," he added.
Now safely into the money rounds, Miñoza could only look back at his frustrating years at Wack Wack and make a short, clear comparison.
"Iba na ang greens. Iba na ang damo. Maganda na ang course. Twelve years ago, nahirapan talaga ako dito," said Minoza yesterday, referring to the 1990 RP Open won by countryman Roberto Pactolerin.
"Jinx course ko ito noon. Ngayon hindi na. Qualify na, eh. Happy na," said Miñoza, who couldn’t even remember how he fared in that RP Open twelve years ago.
"Hindi ko na talaga maalala. Tied for fourth ba? Hindi yata. Basta madalas cut ako dito," he added as he looked forward to two more days of great golf and, who knows, probably a first-ever RP Open title at Wack Wack. — Abac Cordero