Power vs precision as Jahns, van der Valk seal title showdown

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STA. ROSA, Laguna – Keanu Jahns and Guido van der Valk forged an unlikely but compelling showdown for the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational crown – an ending few predicted yet one that felt inevitable after the way both tore through their semifinal assignments with ruthless efficiency here on Thursday.

Although they entered the P2 million season-ending championship of the Philippine Golf Tour as solid contenders – Jahns seeded No. 2 and van der Valk at No. 4 – their emphatic semis victories defied expectations of grueling, back-and-forth battles. Instead, each turned what was billed as a tight duel into a one-sided clinic.

Van der Valk, in particular, surprised himself. After a 5&4 rout of Mike Bibat in the morning quarterfinals, the seasoned Dutch ace had admitted that stamina could become a major issue with the grueling schedule and the oppressive mid-noon heat.

“For sure, stamina will be a big factor,” he said, mindful of the demands of TCC’s punishing layout.

But once the semis began, he looked anything but weary. Rather, he flourished. He won the first two holes against Clyde Mondilla, then delivered the shot of the day – a breathtaking ace on the 171-yard No. 3 using a 7-iron and Srixon ball. That hole-in-one instantly shifted the match’s mood, putting Mondilla on the defensive and van der Valk fully in command.

The ace earned him a TCC trophy and P20,000 from Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., but more importantly, it fueled a surge that Mondilla, who earlier booted out top seed and Order of Merit champion Angelo Que, 4&3, could never match. Even when the former Philippine Open champion mounted brief charges, van der Valk, 45, countered with his own steady shot-making and clutch putting to cruise to a 3&2 win.

“It’s tiring. It’s a long course and tough to play 18 holes a day – much more twice. But I was lucky I didn’t have to go all the way twice. I’m not sure how that would’ve gone,” he added, laughing.

He credited Mondilla’s effort but acknowledged the difference-maker. “He had chances but didn’t hole the putts. I holed a couple – and of course, the hole-in-one helped a lot,” he said.

Now, van der Valk stands one win away from claiming his first Match Play crown and the top P280,000 purse. “If I play the way I’ve been playing this week, I can do it one more time,” he said, fully aware of the power-laden challenge awaiting him in the finals.

Because opposite him will be Jahns – long-hitting, confident and playing the steadiest golf of his career.

Jahns carved out his own dominant semifinal win, a 6&4 dismantling of Reymon Jaraula, completing a day that began with a narrow escape against the wily Tony Lascuña. The morning match had all the drama: Lascuña controlling the pace, going 2-up after nine, and threatening to outlast youth with his trademark precision and grit.

But the veteran eventually showed signs of fatigue. “Nakakapagod at mahirap kalaban ang bata,” he admitted, clinging to a 1-up lead through 13 holes. Jahns, however, began imposing his raw advantage, leveling the match heading into the daunting par-4 18th.

There, his power proved decisive. Jahns split the fairway with a towering drive, leaving Lascuña nearly 80 yards farther back. When the veteran missed the green and later flubbed his chip, Jahns calmly secured par to complete a comeback that would fuel his confidence heading into the semis.

Against Jaraula, he wasted no time asserting control. He hammered fairways, avoided mistakes, and played the course with a maturity that complemented his physical tools.

“I didn’t play spectacular, but steady – and on this course, par is always a good score,” he said.

Jaraula, who earlier edged Randy Garalde in a gritty 1-up quarterfinal win, found no answer for the Fil-German’s precision power game. Jahns simply kept piling pressure, winning holes not with fireworks but with discipline and relentless consistency.

Yet Jahns downplayed the perception that power alone has carried him.

“My mindset will be the same – play steady,” he said. “I know Guido always plays well here. He likes this course a lot.” The statement carried both respect and quiet confidence, fitting for a player chasing his third victory of a breakout season.

That season included back-to-back wins at Caliraya Springs and Bacolod, placing him second behind Angelo Que in the Order of Merit after the 10-leg PGT season.

“I’ll try not to make mistakes, stay away from penalties, and keep fighting,” he vowed.

Still, he acknowledged how valuable his driving has been. “I was driving it well since the morning, and it was a big advantage,” he said. “I was able to win some holes even without great shots. Just steady.”

The matchup between Jahns’ brute strength and van der Valk’s polished course mastery now promises a compelling contrast – one built not on hype but on two players who turned potentially grueling semifinals into statements of dominance.