Dumandan makes 2 in row

MANILA, Philippines - Marvin Dumandan completed his back-to-back title feat on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, battling back from two strokes down to beat erstwhile leader Ramil Bisera and two others by four strokes with a closing two-under par 70 at the Mimosa Golf and Country Club in Clark, Pampanga yesterday.

Dumandan leaned on his putting to fashion out the victory, knocking down three long putts for par in the early going to wrest control then holing out with back-to-back birdies inside six feet to turn the battle for the top P200,000 into a rout. He pooled a two-under 214 total.

The win came a month after he nipped Tony Lascuña in a two-hole playoff at ICTSI Royal Northwoods in Bulacan, making the 28-year-old Davaoeño the winningest player on this year’s circuit with three victories, counting his ICTSI-Sherwood romp last March.

“It’s nice to win again. My putting just clicked and that what I need to win here,” said Dumandan, who thus vaulted to No. 3 from No. 7 with earnings of P731,000 in the Order of Merit ranking heading to the final leg of the 13-stage tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. in Canlubang next month.

“But it would’ve been nice to win if the other top guns were here,” said Dumandan, referring to the top five players on the Merit ranking, including Juvic Pagunsan, Jay Bayron, Artemio Murakami, Mars Pucay and Tony Lascuña, who were all playing in the ongoing Singapore Open.

Bisera wilted under pressure while trying to stay on track for a breakthrough win on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., opening up with three straight bogeys and winding up with a 76 for a 218.

Anthony Fernando, the former national champion, fired a 71 to tie Bisera for second along with amateur Carl Santos Ocampo, the top ICTSI-The Country Club bet who likewise shot a 71 to capture the low amateur honors with a 218.

Bisera and Fernando each took home P92,500.

Ferdie Aunzo, tied with Dumandan at the start of the final round, reeled back with a triple-bogey on No. 9 and tumbled down the standing with a five-over 41 at the back. He limped home with a 79 and wound up in joint 15th with Elmer Salvador and Joel Opaco, who both had 76s, at 223.

Cassius Casas, who snatched the ICTSI-Del Monte crown after three players were disqualified on a final hole infraction, also carded a 70 and finished in a four-way tie with Orlan Sumcad (70), Antonio Asistio II (74) and ICTSI-Orchard winner Benjie Magada, who also had a 74.

Asian Games-bound Jerson Balasabas shot a 73 for a 221 and a share of ninth with James Ryan Lam, who had a 72, and Raymund Sangil, who wavered with a 76.

Miguel Tabuena, the other national team player priming up for next week’s golf competitions in the Guangzhou Games, carded a 74 and wound up joint 18th at 224 with Robert Pactolerin (76) and fellow amateur Peter Villaber (77).