DAVAO City – Having quenched the thirst of a decade-long search for a Philippine Golf Tour victory, Fidel Concepcion now heads to the ICTSI South Pacific Golf Classic not just with renewed confidence but with a champion’s mindset and a sense of freedom that only a breakthrough win can bring.

“I’m playing some solid golf,” said Concepcion, who looks to ride the momentum of his maiden triumph into the P3.5 million championship beginning Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates, also here.

That confidence was hard-earned. The Fil-Australian endured years of near-misses since turning professional in 2013 before finally nailing his first Tour victory at Apo Golf, where he edged Korean Jaehyun Jung on the second playoff hole.

It wasn’t an easy path to the top. Concepcion appeared on course for a commanding win after building a six-shot lead midway through the final round, only to falter with a shaky finish while Jung mounted a furious comeback.

But when it mattered most, Concepcion held firm – leaning on accuracy, composure and consistency to weather the storm and capture the elusive crown.

“I feel like I’ve been working pretty hard since January,” said Concepcion, crediting not just his personal discipline but also his “small but solid team” for helping him elevate his game. His runner-up finish to Keanu Jahns in Bacolod last month hinted that a win was coming; Apo was simply the culmination of months of quiet belief and steady progress.

Now, with the hunger for a first title finally satisfied, Concepcion shifts his focus toward building on that success rather than defending it.

That relaxed mindset could prove crucial at South Pacific, the final stop in the PGT’s three-leg Mindanao swing. Although the layout offers wider fairways compared to the tighter, more punishing setup at Apo, it demands a different kind of precision.

The par-72 course rewards aggressive play off the tee but punishes lapses in distance control and decision-making, especially around its well-guarded greens. Changing wind conditions and undulating terrain add layers of complexity, testing both skill and patience.

Concepcion’s blend of accuracy and composure seems tailor-made for such challenges. If he can maintain the same steady rhythm and self-belief that carried him through Apo, another strong finish – or even a second straight title – may well be within reach.

However, the field promises no easy path. Jung is back and hungry for revenge, while a stacked cast of local stars – Jhonnel Ababa, Zanieboy Gialon, Elmer Salvador and Elee Bisera – along with Reymon Jaraula, Guido van der Valk and Marvin Dumandan – will be out to spoil his bid.

Dumandan, in particular, seeks redemption after losing to Justin Quiban in a marathon four-hole playoff at South Pacific in 2023, while Jaraula hopes to regain form after a lackluster performance at Apo despite a dominant showing in Del Monte earlier in the swing.

Still, for Concepcion, the challenge is less about the field and more about sustaining his newfound confidence. Having finally crossed the finish line after 12 long years, he now plays not with pressure – but with purpose.