Go overcomes Pradera Verde challenges en route to crown
LUBAO, Pampanga – One week he tamed the mountain. The next, he conquered the plains.
From the demanding slopes and severe elevation changes of Pinewoods to the sprawling, flatter and wind-swept fairways of Pradera Verde's Arayat course, Lloyd Go proved that truly elite players aren't defined by the courses they play — but by how quickly they adapt.
After overpowering Pinewoods with a dominant 12-shot victory, Go showcased an entirely different brand of golf at the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship, grinding out a pressure-packed final-round 71 to repel a relentless charge from a field loaded with champions and title contenders and complete a rare, hard-earned back-to-back title sweep on the Philippine Golf Tour.
Unlike his runaway triumph in Baguio, where he virtually settled the outcome after the third round, this victory demanded everything from the Cebuano ace. The strong winds that swept across the wide-open Arayat layout over the last two days added another layer of difficulty, while a succession of challengers repeatedly threatened to wrest control away from him.
Yet through shifting conditions, contrasting course setups and an army of pursuers, Go never blinked.
He finished with a nine-under-par 279, edging veteran Tony Lascuña by one to pocket the P359,000 top prize and cement another masterclass in adaptability, composure and championship golf.
“I played very well yesterday (third round) and I played the front nine today really solid,” said Go of the strong start that kept his experienced rivals at bay. “I had a lot of chances at the back nine but I didn’t really make any putts.”
His composure and consistency were on full display as he weathered pressure from a star-studded chasing pack and challenging playing conditions to complete another impressive victory.
After building momentum with a superb third round, Go carried that form into the final day, making a steady start that allowed him to stay in control despite several missed opportunities on the back nine.
Lascuña snapped a run of backside pars with a birdie on the last for a 70 and a 280 worth P234,000, his second runner-up finish after previously falling by a single stroke to Angelo Que in a dramatic late-hole duel at Caliraya Springs.
Keanu Jahns also mounted a late challenge, birdieing three of five holes starting at No. 9. However, costly bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 halted his momentum, leaving him with a 71 for solo third at 282, while erstwhile second-running Clyde Mondilla failed to recover from a front-nine 38 and faltered with a 74 for fourth at 283.
Angelo Que also struggled with a two-over-par round to finish fifth at 285, while Jhonnel Ababa matched par 72 to tie Rupert Zaragosa, who limped home with a 76, for sixth place at 286.
Randy Garalde, at joint third with Zaragosa just two strokes off Go after 54 holes, skied skied to a 79 and tumbled to 10th at 289.
Not even a miscue on the par-4 14th could derail Go’s march to another title. He had already strengthened his grip on the lead with two birdies over the first 13 holes, capitalizing as his closest pursuers wavered in their respective comeback bids.
Although he held a two-shot advantage heading to the par-5 final hole, Go still had to keep his focus after Lascuña knocked his approach close to set up a birdie opportunity.
“I kept making par at the back, so I knew I still have control but I never clinched it until the very end,” said Go, who wisely settled for a routine par to seal a one-shot victory.
The final round demanded patience as rain and gusty winds added another layer of difficulty to an already testing layout.
“The course is tough today. It’s raining and it’s windy, so it’s good to finish one-under for the day,” Go said.
The victory also underscored Go's ability to adapt after winning on two markedly different courses in consecutive weeks.
“I made very big adjustments. Pinewoods is shorter and Pradera is longer, so my mid-irons this week were really important and I did really well the last couple of days,” he said.
Go credited his all-around game for his recent run of success.
“Winning these two tournaments only showed that my game has been very good overall. All aspects of my game have been good right now,” he said.
Despite the back-to-back triumphs, Go maintained that winning was never his primary expectation entering either event.
“I just wanted to play well. It’s hard to win two times and in consecutive tournaments, so it’s really a big accomplishment,” he said.
Armed with two straight victories, Go now shifts his focus to the Asian Tour which resumes in September, carrying with him not only momentum but renewed confidence after proving he can win under vastly different conditions.
If Pinewoods rewarded precision and creativity on its mountainous terrain, Pradera Verde demanded patience, disciplined course management and precise distance control, particularly as gusting winds tested the field throughout the closing 36 holes.
Go excelled in both. (Pool story)
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