By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Daniella Uy clinched a two-stroke victory over Chanelle Avaricio in a dramatic final round shootout, to capture the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge crown with a gutsy 68 in Bacolod City on Thursday, October 17.

Uy nearly let slip her two-stroke edge with a costly double bogey on the par-4 15th, but she quickly regained her composure, delivering a clutch birdie on the next hole to retake the lead.

She then held firm with steady pars over the last two holes to seal her victory with an eight-under 202 total, securing the top prize of P117,000.

Avaricio, who needed a birdie on the final hole to force a playoff, faltered with a three-putt miscue for bogey, carding a 70 to finish two shots behind at 204, earning P82,000.

“It was a roller-coaster round,” Uy said, reflecting on her performance.

“I bogeyed the first but bounced back with birdies. I also had several missed birdie chances, but I stayed focused,” she added.

Despite the pressure, Uy said the excitement of the close battle kept her motivated.

“There was pressure, but it felt more like excitement since it was such a tight match. It gave me confidence to hit the pin and sink those birdies,” she said.

This win marked Uy’s fifth career title, a follow-up to her breakthrough victory in 2021 and a trio of triumphs last year, matching Avaricio’s three-leg win in 2022 before both embarked on international campaigns.

Princess Superal stormed back with a solid 67 to claim third place at 208, taking home P65,000, while Velinda Castil and Jiwon Lee tied for fourth at 213.

Castil shot a 72, while Lee struggled with a 74 in the penultimate leg of the 10-stage Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

Sarah Ababa, fresh off her win in Iloilo, stayed within striking distance despite a shaky front nine, but a triple bogey on the par-3 10th derailed her campaign.

She ended tied for sixth at 214, with Chihiro Ikeda and Florence Bisera, who shot 70 and 73, respectively./ASC, WDJ