It boiled down to a finish that wins big-time championships and Clyde Mondilla delivered to snatch victory from the clutches of defeat, topping the ICTSI Del Monte Championship with a 69 in a riveting duel of skills and nerves at Del Monte Golf Club on Thursday, Sept. 7, in Bukidnon.

Mondilla blew a one-shot overnight lead with a mediocre frontside stint but fought back from three-down in the last four holes of a day-long battle of shotmaking, iron play and putting and stole the victory on a blazing closing three-birdie splurge in sweltering conditions. He edged Reymon Jaraula and Justin Quiban by one with a tap-in birdie on the final hole to the delight and cheers of the hometown gallery.

“This win is very special,” said Mondilla, whose 18-under 270 total on his home course, worth P437,500, matched his output in essaying a five-shot romp over Angelo Que and Dino Villanueva at Forest Hills last June.

“It’s actually my goal to win here at home, where I learned to play the sport,” he added. “So I’m really, really very happy and thankful.”

Unlike in his Forest Hills triumph, however, Mondilla needed to rally in the stretch, capping his startling comeback with a chipshot infront of the 18th green which he has probably mastered while growing up, the ball bouncing once before rolling two feet left of the cup.

Jaraula, who also grew up here, chipped way past the hole and missed a playoff-clinching birdie putt from six feet and also finished with a 69 while Quiban reached the green in two but three-putted also for a three-under card. 

“I was 3-down with four holes left, so I thought I should at least fight for second although I had to do better,” said Mondilla. “But after birdying Nos. 16 and 17, I found myself tied at the lead and I knew I had the edge to go for a closing birdie after I hit a solid drive on No. 18.”

“There was pressure, grabe. But I was excited, iba kasi ang feeling na alam mong maraming sumusuporta sa ‘yo,” added Mondilla, who thanked the Del Monte Golf Club and cited his father-caddie Arsenio’s tournament-long help.

“Ang tatay ko talaga ang magaling,” he said in jest.

Jaraula, who took control with a solid four-under card after 10 holes, bogeyed No. 15 and failed to match any of Mondilla's closing birdies, missing forcing a playoff with a flubbed birdie putt on the 72nd hole.

The runaway Valley leg winner also wound up with a 69 marred by a bogey on No. 15 as he pooled a 271 for second after limping to 21st at Forest Hills. He received P287,500.

Quiban, two behind Mondilla after 54 holes, fueled his own title drive, also in late fashion as he rattled off three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 11 to tie Jaraula at 17-under. But he came undone with a costly bogey on the tight par-4 No. 17 following a missed drive.

He also finished with a 69 and took third place with 272 worth P162,500.

Iloilo leg runaway winner Rupert Zaragosa also closed out with a three-under card and placed fourth at 277 while Jhonnel Ababa, who nipped Jaraula by two here in 2019, struggled for an even-par 72 and ended up fifth with a 278.

Sean Ramos also carded a 69 for sixth at 281 while Jay Bayron rallied with a 68 to tie Elmer Salvador, who shot a 71, at 282, while Art Arbole likewise charged back with a 69 for joint ninth at 283 with Tony Lascuna and Dino Villanueva, who matched 71s, and Zanieboy Gilaon, who matched par 72.

The Asian Games-bound Mondilla’s victory thus matched Daniella Uy’s back-to-back title run in the women’s side Thursday after the duo posted contrasting wins at Forest Hills last June.

Bracing for a highly-charged, no-holds-barred battle with Jaraula and Quiban, Mondilla slipped with a so-so one-bogey, one-birdie frontside start. He stayed at the background with a bogey on No. 13 as Jaraula and Quiban duked it out shot-for-shot and putt-for-putt to stay tied at 17-under after 15 holes.

But Mondilla proved he’s far from being finished, drilling a birdie putt on the par-3 No. 16, adding another on the next before holing out with that clinching tap-in putt off a solid chip shot.