Granada powers CSB to sweep in wet Splendido round

College of St. Benilde’s Sean Granada rose to the occasion on a rain-soaked Sunday, delivering a composed performance to capture individual honors in Round 2 of the ICTSI Intercollegiate Tour at the windy Splendido Taal Golf Club.

Facing relentless rain and a course reshaped by recent downpours, Granada displayed patience and mental toughness.

Despite carding four bogeys in the first 15 holes, he stayed steady and drained a clutch 30-foot birdie on the par-4 16th to cap a gritty round of 75 (38-37).

His effort earned him a three-stroke victory over University of the Philippines’ Miggy Roque and Ateneo-1’s Schmuel Tan, who both finished with 78s.

“I drove pretty well on the 16th, leaving me just about 90 yards to the pin,” said Granada, 20.

“But I hit it short—about 30 feet—and since it was an uphill lie, I charged it and made the putt.”

Coming off a joint fourth-place finish in Round 1 at Royal Northwoods, Granada credited his long game for holding up under tough conditions.

“My driving definitely saved me, especially in that kind of weather,” he said.

“I enjoyed it, but the conditions were really tough—25 kph winds and a lot of rain. It was fun, but also frustrating.”

Granada’s ability to stay composed amid soggy fairways and unpredictable greens proved vital.

He leaned on strong tee shots and a sharp short game—especially the decisive birdie—to seal the win worth 15 ranking points.

Roque, who tied for eighth in Round 1, showed flashes of brilliance with two birdies but slipped with six bogeys and a double bogey for a 40-38 finish.

Tan, making his Tour debut, tallied one birdie against seven bogeys for the same score.

With teammate David Guangko adding an 80, CSB clinched the team title with a 155 total, completing a five-shot win over Ateneo-1 and matching UP’s Round 1 sweep.

C’Zedrick Sulaik’s 92 did not count under the three-to-play, two-to-count format.

It was a strong comeback for CSB, which finished fourth in team play in Round 1.

Granada’s steady play anchored the squad’s resurgence in the tour co-developed by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and the Philippine Golf Foundation.

Ateneo-1’s Emilio Curran backed up Tan’s 78 with an 82 for a 160 total, earning runner-up honors.

La Salle-1 placed third with a 162, led by Zachary Castro’s 80 and Miguel Fusilero’s 82.

UP-1, dominant in Round 1, struggled at Splendido.

Emilio Carpio’s 84 combined with Roque’s 78 for a 162 total, but the team lost to La Salle via countback after Round 1 individual winner Joshua Buenaventura slipped with an 86.

Granada credited CSB’s preparation but admitted the team didn’t expect to win against tough opposition.

“We went to the range, practiced on the fairways, and worked on our weak spots,” he said.

“But we didn’t really expect to win. With teams like UP, La Salle, and Ateneo in the mix, we’re just thankful.”

Looking ahead to Round 3 at Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Pampanga on Aug. 11, Granada emphasized the need for consistency.

“We need to work on everything,” he said.

University of the Cordilleras’ Ranz Balay-odao matched his fourth-place Round 1 finish with a 79.

Castro, the Round 1 runner-up, dropped to a share of fifth with an 80.

Meanwhile, Round 2 of the women’s division is set for Aug. 9 at Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Cavinti, Laguna.

La Salle-1’s Julia Lua aims for back-to-back individual titles, while Ateneo, led by Monique Mendoza, seeks a second straight team crown.