Zaragosa stands tall in rainy finish, grabs 1-shot lead vs Jahns

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL – In a rain-disrupted third round at the ICTSI Negros Occidental Challenge, Rupert Zaragosa held his nerve to post a bogey-free 64 and take a one-shot lead over Keanu Jahns on Thursday at the Marapara Golf and Country Club.

Zaragosa, known for precision over power, surged to the top at 10-under 200 by outplaying long-hitting rivals Jahns and Clyde Mondilla in tough, shifting conditions.

The final group endured a 40-minute delay due to heavy rain after their second shots on the par-5 18th hole, which soaked the fairways and made the greens unpredictable.

Still, Zaragosa stayed composed and tapped in for par after nearly sinking a long birdie putt that grazed the pin, capping his flawless round with quiet authority.

Jahns, the back-to-back winner at Caliraya Springs and Binitin, faltered on the final hole after misjudging his third shot from a casual water lie, overshooting the green and settling for bogey and a 66 for a 201 total.

Mondilla mounted a late rally with birdies on Nos. 15 and 17, finishing with a 67 and moving into a tie for third at 202 with Aidric Chan, who fired a 64 to keep his breakthrough hopes alive in the PHP 2 million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

“Mas consistent ang putting ko ngayon compared sa first two days, maganda ang feel ko at basa sa green,” said Zaragosa.

“Sobrang happy at maganda ang laro ko ngayon,” he added.

He shared that the late-round weather shift didn’t rattle his group.

“Patapos na din naman kami, kaya hindi masyadong nakaapekto,” Zaragosa said.

Still, he admitted the pressure of defending the title he won in shortened fashion last year is real.

“May pressure din to defend. I will draw up my game plan later kung ano dapat gawin bukas. Hopefully mas gumanda ang laro,” he said.

Jahns shrugged off his final-hole slip, saying, “I took a relief from a casual water lie. But for some reason, my 8-iron from 160 yards flew 20 yards past the green. It happens, but I’m not too upset about it.”

“The weather hardly affected my game – I was just unlucky,” he added.

Like Zaragosa, he expects the title to be decided on the greens.

“I’ll just play steady and hopefully, the putter stays hot again,” Jahns said.

Zaragosa’s controlled style contrasted sharply with the long-ball strategies of Jahns and Mondilla, who regularly hammered tee shots deep down fairways to set up short approaches.

The turning point came at the par-4 ninth, where Zaragosa, outdriven by 80 yards, stuck a 56-degree wedge from 96 yards to within six feet and made the birdie.

Jahns, who had driven to the left of the green, overshot on his approach and settled for par, while Mondilla also failed to capitalize from a close position.

Zaragosa’s round was a masterclass in course management, birdieing Nos. 2, 5 and 6 early before matching Jahns with a birdie on No. 10.

He birdied the par-4 15th for the third straight day and closed strong to carry a one-shot lead into the final round.

Jahns and Mondilla had moments of brilliance, with Jahns birdieing three straight from No. 4 to briefly lead, and Mondilla opening with back-to-back birdies, but both stumbled late.

Chan made a bold push with four straight birdies starting on No. 4, then added two more over the final six holes, including a 20-foot breaker on No. 18 to tie Mondilla at 202.

Russell Bautista surged into solo fifth with a bogey-free 65 for a 204 total.

Sean Ramos was on track for a 64 before dropping shots on Nos. 16 and 17, ending with a 66 and a share of sixth at 205 with Japan’s Atsushi Ueda, who carded a 68.

Angelo Que, winner of the season’s first two legs, stayed in the hunt with a 67 for a 206 total.

Elee Bisera fired a 65 to join Fidel Concepcion (67), Francis Morilla (68), Justin Quiban (70) and Nilo Salahog (71) in a five-way tie for ninth at 207.

With contrasting styles set to clash in the final round, all eyes are on the precision of Zaragosa and the power of Jahns in what promises to be a thrilling finish.

Jahns still has a shot at a rare three-peat, but Zaragosa, last year’s weather-shortened winner, looks ready to go the full distance.

This time, he hopes to prove that a sharp iron game can once again outshine sheer strength.