DAVAO – Lloyd Jefferson Go sealed a convincing victory in the final round of the ICTSI Palos Verdes Championship on Friday, weathering some late challenges along the way.
Go clinched the four-stroke win over Michael Bibat and Guido van der Valk, despite carding a 74 at the Rancho Palos Verdes and Sports Club.
Go’s exceptional performance, highlighted by a remarkable 65 in the third round, firmly established him as the frontrunner with an eight-stroke advantage over his closest competitors, Nilo Salahog, Sean Ramos, and Angelo Que at the start of the day.
Despite facing setbacks in the final round, Go remained focused and secured the victory with a crucial birdie on the par-3 17th hole.
Expressing his joy at finally achieving success after years of professional play, the 28-year-old Seton Hall alum acknowledged the pressure but maintained composure throughout the round.
“I’ve been playing for so many years and hadn’t won,” said Go, who turned pro in 2018. “But I finally broke the barrier, and I’m really happy. Now, I can say that I’m an accomplished pro.”
Although Go encountered difficulties after starting strong with a birdie on the first hole, his rivals struggled to catch up, allowing him to maintain his lead and secure a maiden victory with a total score of 12-under 276, earning him P350,000.
Too little, too late for Bibat, Van der Valk
Despite mounting a comeback with impressive rounds in the scorching heat, Bibat and van der Valk were unable to close the gap, finishing with identical scores of 280 and sharing the combined second and third prizes worth P360,000.
Looking ahead, Go’s triumph sets a positive tone for his upcoming campaign in Japan, where he aims to compete at the highest level in the challenging yet rewarding circuit. Supported by Cebu Landmasters and Nature’s Spring, Go is focused on his goals and eager to continue his winning form in future competitions.
Final scores:
276 – Lloyd Jefferson Go 67-70-65-74
280 – Michael Bibat 72-69-73-66, Guido van der Valk 70-74-71-65
281 – Keanu Jahns 71-70-71-69, Nilo Salahog 75-71-64-71
283 – Ira Alido 68-71-72-72
284 – Randy Garalde 72-71-73-68, Angelo Que 72-67-71-74, Sean Jean Ramos 67-73-70-74
289 – Reymon Jaraula 69-72-72-76, Tony Lascuna 73-73-73-70, Rupert Zaragosa 73-75-70-71
290 – Yu Min Hyeok 78-67-73-72
291 – Art Arbole 72-71-73-75, Collin Wheeler 75-74-71-71
293 – Fidel Concepcion 73-73-74-73, Marvin Dumandan 72-76-71-74, Kim Mingi 70-75-74-74
294 – Russell Bautista 71-72-75-76, Paul Echavez 71-74-73-76, Koji Inoue 73-73-72-76, Ryan Monsalve 74-72-71-77
295 – Jay Bayron 71-75-72-77, Kei Matsuoka 75-75-71-74
296 – Jhonnel Ababa 76-74-75-71, Aidric Chan 72-71-75-78, Albin Engino 71-75-76-74
297 – Toru Nakajima 75-73-76-73, Mars Pucay 75-71-76-75, Dino Villanueva 71-77-73-76
