Lumbo claims maiden title in marathon playoff

Rookie Jeff Lumbo gutted out a bogey-free five-under-par 67 to catch Russell Bautista in regulation, before surviving the Cebu native in a marathon five-hole playoff to break through as a pro by winning the ICTSI South Pacific Classic title in Davao on Friday.

The 27-year-old from Sarangani drained a 16-foot putt for birdie and then watched Bautista miss a much closer try to cap an up-and-down week that saw Lumbo take control after a brilliant first two round and then drop out of the lead on Thursday after Bautista fired a 67.

“I didn’t expect that I could still win this,” Lumbo, who tallied a 72-hole 276, said in Filipino as he joined Sarah Ababa, crowned the ladies champ on Thursday, in the winner’s circle. “I didn’t really think about how big I was down and just enjoyed the game.”

Lumbo started the day behind by four and then by five after nine holes, after Bautista carved out a 32. But the wheels came off for the third-round leader, who had two back-nine bogeys on the way to a closing 71.

Former Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla birdied the last two holes in a rally that just fell short, as his 66 left him just a shot out of the playoff.

“In the playoff, I didn’t let the pressure get to me. I just stayed focused and enjoyed it,” added Lumbo, who needed to birdie the par-5 18th to tie and complete a two-shot swing as Bautista closed out with a bogey that was probably because of playing with immense pressure all around.

“I actually didn’t think of how many holes I had left to catch up,” Lumbo, who blossomed into pro material after spending time under discoverer Gary Sales at Eastridge, said. “I really didn’t pay too much attention at how big (Bautista’s) lead was.”

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The marathon sudden death was the second longest in PGT history, just one hole shy of the six that Rene Menor needed to turn back Thailand’s Pasavee Lertvilai in the 2017 PGT Asia Splendido Taal.

The win was worth a cool P616,000 for the maritime studies graduate, with Bautista settling not only for the P402,500 runner-up’s purse but also for having to wait a little more for a maiden title he has been searching for since 2023.

“I still don’t know what I will do with the money,” Lumbo said of his biggest earning to date.