Dumandan outlasts Lascuna in playoff at Royal Northwoods

Marvin Dumandan came through with a three-under-par 69 in the final round to force an extension then nipped Antonio Lascuna in a two-hole playoff later to win the P1-M ICTSI Royal Northwoods Championship on Friday in San Rafael, Bulacan.

With the outcome, Lascuna will have to wait another month before he gets a chance to win a title in the Philippine Golf Tour after Dumandan holed out with a birdie on the second sudden death hole at the Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club. "I am very happy to overcome a player in the caliber of Tony (Lascuna). Little by little, I am finding the confidence to close out games," said Dumandan, who before would normally succumb to pressure when facing a similar situation. Dumandan's drive at the par-four 18th landed on the rough but he recovered with a nice approach that rested eight feet from the cup which resulted in a birdie worth P200,000. "Marvin made a huge play. He deserves it," said Lascuna, who made a par in the end and took the runner up prize of P120,000. Benjie Magada, who also outlasted Lascuna in the third playoff hole to capture the Orchard leg crown of the circuit, shot the day’s best score of six-under 66 and finished tied for third with Robert Pactolerin 67) and Elmer Salvador (71) at 209. Each received P51,600. Richard Abaring finished sixth with a 210 after a 71 and took home P35,000 while Gene Bondoc shot a 69 for solo seventh at 211 worth P30,000. Carl Ocampo Santos and Jobim Carlos shared the low amateur honors with a pair of 71s as they wound up tied with pros Anthony Fernando (72) and Rey Pagunsan (74) for eighth at 213. – Adrian Flores/JVP, GMANews.TV