Avaricio wins Summit Point; Que takes five-shot lead

LIPA CITY, Batangas — Chanelle Avaricio survived a furious closing challenge from Yvon Bisera and made par on the final hole Thursday to capture the ICTSI Summit Point Championship by one stroke, completing a comeback from a difficult opening round for her second Ladies Philippine Golf Tour victory of the season.

Avaricio closed with a 68 for a four-under 212 total, edging Bisera, who fired a 66 to finish at 213 and narrowly missed a third victory this season.

The win gave Avaricio PHP 125,000 and another confidence boost as the 27-year-old prepares for her next international campaign and Epson Tour qualifying after missing the cut in a China LPGA Tour event last week.

The triumph also highlighted the competitive depth of the domestic women’s tour, with Bisera turning what appeared to be a comfortable victory into a one-shot contest and forcing Avaricio to stay composed through the final hole.

The victory was Avaricio’s second of the season after winning the Pinewoods event last July.

It carried added meaning because Summit Point is Avaricio’s home course and she serves as the club’s golf ambassador.

“I think going to the last day, medyo I wasn’t sure if I was going to win. Pero I just tried to focus on the moment, like every shot. Then, ayun, parang every shot matters. ‘Yun na lang ‘yung iniisip ko,” said Avaricio.

“Anything can happen here, so I just focused on every shot and tried not to get ahead of myself,” she added.

Avaricio began the final round with Apple Fudolin posing the most immediate threat.

She matched Fudolin’s birdies on Nos. 2 and 3, maintaining a one-stroke advantage.

The balance shifted when Fudolin made bogeys on Nos. 5 and 7.

Avaricio responded with birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to take control of the championship.

She reached the turn in 32 and opened a four-shot advantage over Fudolin.

The wind that had challenged the field during the first two rounds was largely absent Thursday morning, leaving Summit Point’s softened fairways and greens more receptive to aggressive scoring.

Avaricio took advantage of the conditions, attacking when opportunities emerged and settling for pars when birdies were not available.

Fudolin was unable to mount another sustained challenge.

Seoyun Kim, Tiffany Lee, Sarah Ababa, Gretchen Villacencio and Bisera remained within contention, while Harmie Constantino, who began the day four shots behind, also failed to make a significant early move.

Bisera then transformed the closing stretch.

Facing a deficit that reached six strokes with nine holes remaining, the recent Pradera Verde winner attacked the back nine and finished with a 66.

Her surge reduced Avaricio’s advantage to one stroke while the eventual champion was still on the course.

Avaricio said the pressure became most apparent on the closing holes.

“It was on the last hole. Honestly, I was playing well in my front nine. But sa back, I think I only shot even par. So, I didn’t really want to get ahead and, you know, I just want to finish all 18 holes before, you know, celebrate,” she said when asked when she felt the tournament was truly hers.

“I was aggressive at the start. But on the back nine, medyo naging conservative,” she reflected.

Avaricio’s more cautious approach proved sufficient.

She two-putted for par on the 54th hole to secure the championship.

“I think going to the last day, medyo I wasn’t sure if I was going to win,” she said.

Ababa rallied with a 69 to take third place at 215. Lee and Kim each shot 70 to share the next spot at 216. Fudolin closed with a 73 and fell to sixth at 218.

Avaricio said winning at Summit Point made the title particularly meaningful.

“It means a lot especially, being an ambassador of Summit Point. I practice here a lot. So, it means a lot to me. Kasi, you know, they help me and it’s like a home course.”

The victory completed a sharp turnaround after Avaricio opened the tournament by bogeying her first three holes.

She dropped another shot on No. 7 and finished the first round with a 75. A late birdie on No. 16 helped salvage that opening round.

Avaricio responded with a bogey-free 69 in the second round to move into control. She carried that form into Thursday by making five birdies over her first 11 holes.

Across the final two rounds, Avaricio recorded eight birdies against only one bogey.

Her victory came as Angelo Que moved closer to another championship in the men’s competition.

The reigning Order of Merit champion fired his third consecutive 66 on Thursday to establish a five-stroke advantage heading into the final round.

Que’s three-day performance has put him within 18 holes of his second victory of the season and the 21st title of his professional career in the PHP 2.5 million championship.

He opened the tournament with a 66 and followed it with another 66 in a bogey-free second round Wednesday.

Que again shot six-under 66 in the third round, highlighted by a pitch-in eagle on the par-4 No. 10.

The three-time Asian Tour winner moved to 18-under 198.

Justin Quiban also shot a 66 and remained Que’s closest challenger at 203, five strokes behind.

Que said the advantage would not alter his approach.

“It’s pretty satisfying, but, you know, even if you have a big lead, it’s not really a way for you to just relax. I’m still gonna play my game and try to play like normal pa rin,” said Que, who won the Caliraya Springs leg in dramatic fashion last May.

Que played in largely calm conditions on a softened Summit Point course and continued to attack when he believed the risk was manageable. He played the front nine in 33.

Que then holed out for eagle on No. 10 and followed it with a birdie to open a seven-shot lead.

He later gave back part of the advantage with a bogey and a par before finishing with a birdie for another 66 and a five-shot cushion.

Que said his final-round decisions would depend on the situation rather than the size of his lead.

“I’m still gonna play my own game, like normal game. If I know I can attack, I’ll attack. If it’s alanganin, then I’ll just play conservative,” said the 47-year-old Que.

Que has spent 23 years as a professional and has won through comebacks, close finishes and dominant performances.

He said three consecutive low rounds naturally produced the widening advantage.

“Not really, because if you shoot 6-under every day, I think your lead is gonna keep growing. If you keep shooting the lowest score every round, I think that will just extend the lead,” he said.

Quiban, the first-round leader, made three birdies over his final four holes to complete his 66 and reach 13-under.

Aidric Chan shot 67 to remain third at 204. Reymon Jaraula posted a 71 and slipped to fourth at 208. Kristoffer Arevalo and Hyun Jin Youn each fired 67 to share fifth at 209.

Carl Corpus, who began the round four strokes behind Que, struggled to a 74 and dropped into a tie for seventh at 210, 12 shots off the lead.

Russell Bautista joined Corpus at 210 after a 69. Sean Ramos also stood at 210 following a 70. Keanu Jahns completed the group at 210 after a 72.

Que’s pitch-in eagle on No. 10 provided the highlight of another round built on consistent scoring, experience and controlled aggression.

With 18 holes remaining, Que said even a modest under-par final round could place substantial pressure on his pursuers.

“Well, I’m 5-up, that means if I shoot 3-under tomorrow, they have to shoot 8-under to catch me. So, I think 2 or 3-under would be a good score,” he said.

Que enters the final round with three 66s, an 18-under 198 total and a five-shot advantage.

One more steady round would give him the Summit Point crown, his second victory of the season and the 21st title of a career that currently includes 20 championships.