Ababa, Avaricio stress strategy as LPGT Match Play unfolds

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Two of the top three seeds who have each won two legs on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour are putting a premium on smart, calculated play as the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational comes off the wraps today (Tuesday) at TCC here.

Still, despite their status as favorites, Sarah Ababa and Chanelle Avaricio are keeping expectations in check. Both acknowledge that match play — unlike the season-long stroke-play grind — levels the playing field and gives every qualifier a real shot at the season-ending crown.

Only the top 16 performers from the 10-leg LPGT season have earned spots in the field.

“Sa match play, hole-by-hole ang laban, hindi total score,” said Ababa. “Minsan kailangan mong maging aggressive, depende sa kalaban at situation. Kailangan mas quick mag-adjust at mag-isip ng smart shots.”

“It’s more of a mental game, so focus and composure on every hole are crucial,” added the Davaoeña ace, who surged late in the season with tight victories at Del Monte and South Pacific to clinch the Order of Merit title.

Avaricio shares the same mindset, saying success this week will depend less on pure shot-making and more on tactical decisions — particularly in the unpredictable, head-to-head format where momentum can shift in a single swing.

“No expectations for the match play, because it’s different from stroke play. I’ll just do my best hole-by-hole and enjoy,” said Avaricio, who rediscovered top form with a dominant win at Forest Hills. She later avenged a playoff loss to Ababa by clinching another commanding triumph at Apo.

“On strategy, I think I’ll play my game hole-by-hole and make smart decisions in every shot. Hopefully it will be good,” added Avaricio, also the top Filipina finisher at tied 13th in last week’s Party Golfers Ladies Open in Taiwan, the annual tournament co-sanctioned by the Taiwan LPGA Tour and the LPGT.

While both players are entering the week with confidence, they were quick to point out that match play often produces results far different from stroke-play expectations. A lower seed can eliminate a favorite in an instant, a single bad hole can flip an entire match, and momentum can vanish — or surge — without warning.

For that reason, Ababa is approaching the PHP 1.5 million event, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., with excitement rather than pressure. Fresh off her first OOM title and riding the momentum of her South Pacific victory, she looks to stay steady in the volatile format.

“Excited ako. Iba kasi ang format pero goal ko same pa rin — stay calm, focus sa bawat shot at i-execute ang game plan,” she said. “Gusto ko lang dalhin yung momentum from my recent win and play my best.”

Her first-round opponent is Marvi Monsalve, who finished No. 18 in the OOM but earned the final berth after No. 6 Princess Superal and No. 8 Chihiro Ikeda withdrew to compete in the Japan Q-School.

Focus is also on second seed Florence Bisera, eyeing a third win this season after victories at Negros Occidental — where she edged Kim Seoyun in a playoff — and in Thailand. She narrowly missed another title at South Pacific, finishing one stroke behind Ababa, but remains determined to defend her match-play crown as she opens against Kayla Nocum, who finished No. 17 in the OOM.

The third-seeded Avaricio, meanwhile, faces Velinda Castil, while No. 4 seed Mafy Singson, who edged Bisera in a playoff at Eagle Ridge, tests her match-play mettle against Kim Seoyun.

Other pairings include Tiffany Lee vs. Apple Fudolin; last year’s four-leg winner and reigning OOM champion Harmie Constantino vs. Kristine Fleetwood; Martina Miñoza vs. Pamela Mariano; and Gretchen Villacencio vs. Daniella Uy.

Winners will advance to the quarterfinals on Wednesday, followed by the semifinals on Thursday. The champions of these brackets will then square off for the title on Friday.

QUE BATTLES ILLNESS

This is one event Angelo Que wouldn’t dare miss.

The newly crowned Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion declared himself fit and ready to compete as the top seed in the ICTSI The Country Club Invitational, which kicks off today (Tuesday) at TCC here.

Que had been uncertain about his participation after abruptly withdrawing in the final round of last Friday’s PGT finale at Valley due to a severe stomach ailment. The three-time TCC Invitational champion said he spent most of the weekend resting and recovering. Although he skipped Monday’s traditional pro-am, he was confident enough to give the green light for the PHP 2 million match-play championship.

“I’m not expecting much since I’m still recovering from a stomach flu,” said Que on the eve of the event. “But I will definitely give it my best.”

Despite downplaying expectations, Que arrives with momentum built on a remarkably consistent season — two victories, two runner-up finishes, multiple top 10s — and, finally, after years of close calls, his first career OOM crown.

But his opening assignment promises to be far from routine.

The top-seeded Que will open his campaign against former Philippine Masters champion Jerson Balasabas in what promises to be a grueling hole-by-hole battle where even a struggling underdog can turn the tables quickly.

Balasabas squeezed into the elite 32-man field as the final qualifier. Though he has endured a rollercoaster stretch on Tour in recent years while searching for his old form, his shot-making pedigree and match-play experience make him a dangerous draw — especially against a top seed who’s still regaining full strength.

With no regard for aggregate scores, match play amplifies pressure and opens doors for lower-ranked players. Every hole is a reset, every mistake magnified, every putt potentially decisive. That dynamic, combined with Que’s uncertain physical condition and Balasabas’ motivation to revive his career, sets the stage for a first-round duel loaded with history, respect, and risk.

Unfancied Arnold Villacencio — who stunned the Tour last year with an unlikely run to the title — returns seeking another triumphant performance but draws a tough opening challenge in No. 16 Ryan Monsalve.

Other marquee matchups include No. 2 Keanu Jahns vs. Kristoffer Arevalo; No. 3 Fidel Concepcion vs. Randy Garalde; No. 4 Guido van der Valk vs. Rico Depilo; No. 5 Rupert Zaragosa vs. Francis Morilla; No. 6 Reymon Jaraula vs. Gerald Rosales; No. 7 Russell Bautista vs. Mars Pucay; No. 8 Clyde Mondilla vs. Marvin Dumandan; No. 9 Jeffren Lumbo vs. Nilo Salahog; No. 10 Tony Lascuña vs. James Ryan Lam; No. 11 Collin Wheeler vs. Kang Chonkoo; No. 12 Michael Bibat vs. Kim Tae Soo; No. 13 Atsushi Ueda vs. Elee Bisera; No. 14 Dino Villanueva vs. Gabriel Manotoc; and No. 15 Jhonnel Ababa vs. Zanieboy Gialon.