Que, Jahns lead quarterfinal cast in windy TCC showdown

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STA. ROSA, Laguna – Angelo Que and Keanu Jahns powered into the quarterfinals of the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational on Wednesday, navigating a dramatic shift from rain-soaked greens to scorching, blustery conditions at The Country Club (TCC) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

After a sluggish start to the tournament due to weather delays, the top-seeded Que found his rhythm just in time, dispatching Ryan Monsalve, 2&1, to earn a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash with former Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Order of Merit champion Clyde Mondilla.

“Feeling much better but not 100 percent yet. Getting better every day,” said Que, who had previously withdrawn from the season’s final PGT leg at Valley Golf due to a stomach ailment. “It’s match play, so anybody has a chance.”

Mondilla, for his part, held off rising Saranggani prospect Jeffren Lumbo with a composed 2&1 win, tapping into his big-match experience to secure a berth in Thursday’s knockout rounds.

Keanu Jahns, the No. 2 seed, leaned on consistency and control to eliminate Jhonnel Ababa, 4&3. He now faces five-time PGT Order of Merit champion Tony Lascuña in what promises to be a tactical showdown.

“Nothing special,” Jahns said. “I just tried to make pars to avoid penalty shots. Basta in-play ang bola mo dito, and with decent short game you’ll play well.”

He added: “It wasn’t dominant. We were both making mistakes, pero I had less. Puro par-par lang. I think I made just two or three birdies in 14 holes.”

Lascuña was equally sharp, following up his 6&5 rout of James Ryan Lam with a 3&2 victory over Russell Bautista. “Medyo okay naman ang kondisyon. Hopefully magtuloy-tuloy,” said Lascuña, banking on his superior short game to offset Jahns’ length off the tee.

Meanwhile, Reymon Jaraula booked his place in the Last 8 with a 4&3 win over Collin Wheeler, aided by three birdies, including a key putt on No. 9 that gave him the lead for good. “Focus at enjoy lang, at ingat sa mga holes,” Jaraula said of his approach.

He faces Randy Garalde, who continued his giant-slaying run by following up his Day 1 upset of No. 3 Fidel Concepcion with a 2-up triumph over Gabriel Manotoc in the second round.

Michael Bibat completed the quarterfinal field with a tight 1-up win over sixth-seeded Rupert Zaragosa in a match that went down to the wire.

In the final men’s match to finish, Dutch ace Guido van der Valk outlasted Atsushi Ueda, 2-up, in a roller-coaster duel. After going 3-up through 10 holes, van der Valk weathered Ueda’s comeback – including a chip-in birdie on No. 13 – before reclaiming control on Nos. 15 and 16 and sealing the win on the final hole.

“I’m lucky and happy that I got through. It was a good match,” said van der Valk, a two-time TCC Invitational winner.

The men’s quarterfinal lineup is packed with star power: Que vs. Mondilla, van der Valk vs. Bibat, Jaraula vs. Garalde, and Lascuña vs. Jahns. All matches are set for Thursday morning, followed by semifinal duels in the afternoon.

In the women’s division, Martina Miñoza pulled off the tournament’s biggest shocker by eliminating defending champion Florence Bisera, 2&1, in a dominant performance that belied the final margin.

Miñoza seized control early, building a four-hole lead and fending off Bisera’s late charge with composed pars down the stretch to close out the match on the 17th green.

Her upset comes a day after Marvi Monsalve stunned top-seeded Sarah Ababa in the opening round, signaling a shift in the tournament’s power dynamics.

The 21-year-old Miñoza, long considered a breakout candidate from Del Monte, now faces Harmie Constantino in the semifinals after the latter took down No. 3 seed Chanelle Avaricio, 3&2.

Constantino showcased calm under pressure in a match defined by lead changes and shifting momentum.

The other semifinal pits Daniella Uy against Mafy Singson. Uy edged Monsalve, 1-up, in a tense back-and-forth duel, while Singson leaned on back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 to pull away from Tiffany Lee for a 3&1 win.

“I really want to win since I haven’t won here,” said Singson, a TCC veteran since age 12. “I’ve been playing here since I was 12, so it would really be nice to win here.”

Reflecting on her strategy, Singson added: “Lee was very aggressive, and my plan was just to play my game and avoid being too aggressive – that’s where mistakes can come in.”

Looking ahead to her match with Uy, the former national team standout said, “I’ll just try to make birdies and focus on each shot.”

With PHP 1.5 million in total prize money and a PHP 280,000 top purse at stake, the semifinalists in both divisions know that precision, nerve, and adaptability are key to conquering the demanding TCC layout.

Organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., the ICTSI Match Play Invitational concludes Thursday with semifinal and final matches – setting the stage for one of the season’s most dramatic finishes.