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Golf: Van der Valk clinches The Country Club Invitational crown

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Guido Van der Valk ruled The Country Club Invitational. Handout photo." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/02/11/20230211-guido-van-der-valk.jpg"/><figcaption>Guido Van der Valk ruled The Country Club Invitational. Handout photo.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- Guido Van der Valk rode a near-impeccable frontside charge to win by five over Lloyd Go with a 73, as the rest of the field succumbed to the stifling heat and high winds in The Country Club Invitational on Friday.Van der Valk secured his second straight championship in the Philippine Golf Tour&#x27;s centerpiece event, surviving a backside 40 after building an eight-shot buffer over Go. Other contenders faltered TCC&#x27;s exacting backside, as difficult pin placements made the stretch run chase more daunting and challenging.That paved the way for Van der Valk&#x27;s win as he assembled a six-over 294 total, including a first round 73 and a couple of 74s. The Dutchman pocketed the record P2 million purse after the four-day competition.&quot;It&#x27;s an honor to win this tournament twice. It&#x27;s very special to win back-to-back and I&#x27;m super happy that I managed to do it,&quot; said Van der Valk, who became only the player to score a repeat in 16 editions of the annual championship.There were no TCC Invitationals in 2015-16 and 2021-22.&quot;I played really good after 9 holes but I struggled a little bit at the back but I had enough of a buffer to still be comfortable,&quot; added Van der Valk. &quot;I&#x27;m thrilled to have done this again and I look forward to defending my title next year.&quot;Angelo Que won in 2007, five years after the event was launched by ICTSI chairman/CEO Ricky Razon to honor his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo. The three-time Asian Tour winner then reigned in 2010 and 2011.Van der Valk had set the pace, along with three others, with 73s on Day 1 of the event on Tuesday. But while Jerson Balasabas, Clyde Mondilla and Jay Bayron faded one after the other, Van der Valk stayed steady and took solo control with a 74 halfway through then kept a two-shot lead – after blowing a five-stroke bulge in the stretch – with another two-over card in moving day.Go snatched runner-up honors worth P1 million, finishing with a 299. Micah Shin, winner here in 2018, carded a 74 and tied 2004 champion Tony Lascuna, who turned in a 75, at third at 301 and split the combined P948,000 purse.Clyde Mondilla, who lost to Van der Valk by one in a thrilling 2020 final, skied to a 77 and wound up fifth at 303 worth P288,000.Art Arbole shot a 75 for joint sixth at 304 with Michael Bibat, who holed out with a double-bogey for a 78, while former amateur standout Mars Pucay also put in a 75 to tie 2013 winner Frankie Miñoza and erstwhile contender Jay Bayron, who both carded 77s, at eighth with 305s.Gialon, runaway winner in Caliraya Springs last year, skied to an 84 and tumbled to 14th at 307.

Guido Van der Valk rode a near-impeccable frontside charge to win The Country Club Invitational on Friday. 