Stewart nears breakthrough win at Luisita

TARLAC, Philippines — Trotting the world the past decade in pursuit of a championship, Tim Stewart never lost hope of finally raising a trophy the way he did when he hoisted the Tasmanian Open crown as an amateur in 2008.

With three straight 67s at the Luisita layout yesterday and a big four-stroke lead over Dutch Guido Van der Valk, the 34-year-old Brisbane native came tantalizingly close to a dream title run in the ICTSI Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open here.

In moving day in the $100,000 championship of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia, Stewart dispatched Lexus Keoninh and Clyde Mondilla with a potent power game and crisp iron play that defied the wind and difficult pin placements and produced another five-under card that he kept unblemished by saving a couple of pars, including on the last hole.

His 34-33 round and a 15-under 201 total is easily one of the lowest 54-hole outputs posted at the dreaded Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed layout but more importantly, it gave Stewart a big cushion in his chase for a victory that has eluded him the past 11 years.

“I played more than 50 tournaments around the globe and 26 here in the Philippines but winless up to this time,” said Stewart, who turned pro after that Tasmanian Open feat. “Hopefully, I make it this time.”

With a commanding lead, the 6-6 power hitter could be heading to claiming that recognition denied him twice, including in last year’s Luisita Championship of the PGT where he lost by two to Mondilla, and in PGTA’s Manila Southwoods Championship last July where he lost by five to Angelo Que.