BACOLOD City – Pauline del Rosario staged a spectacular late charge to overturn a six-shot deficit and clinch the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge crown by a single stroke on Thursday, handing South Korea’s Seo Yun Kim another heartbreaking runner-up finish.
Del Rosario unleashed a scorching four-under 66 at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club for a three-day total of 206, stunning Kim, who held sway for two rounds but collapsed with a birdie-less 73 in the finale. Her back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16 piled the pressure on Kim, who cracked with a costly bogey at No. 17.
The win, worth ₱90,000, was Del Rosario’s first professional title outside Luzon and her first LPGT victory since Caliraya Springs in 2023, signaling a strong comeback for the former Order of Merit champion.
“It feels good to win again, but I don’t think it has fully sunk in yet. I was struggling with my game a lot,” said Del Rosario, who etched history in 2017 as the first Filipina to triumph on the LPGA Tour of Taiwan.
Kim, still in search of a breakthrough, settled for second at 207 – her sixth runner-up finish – while defending champion Daniella Uy carded a 69 for solo third at 209. Florence Bisera and Sarah Ababa shared fourth at 211.
In the men’s side, Keanu Jahns took a firm grip on the Philippine Golf Tour after firing a second consecutive 65 to seize a two-shot lead at 197 heading into the final round.
The Fil-German, riding high from his Caliraya Springs triumph, birdied four of his first six holes to establish control and stay ahead of Fidel Concepcion, who matched his 65 for a 199 total.
“I putted very well – that was the main difference compared to my first two rounds,” Jahns said, crediting sharp greens reading and steady front-nine driving.
Overnight co-leader Tae Won Ha cooled off with a 69 to slip to third at 201, while Aidric Chan faltered with a triple bogey on No. 13 to settle for solo fourth at 202./PN
