Carl Corpus overcame an early stumble and withstood cousin Aidric Chan’s relentless charge, carding a gritty 73 to clinch a four-shot triumph in the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge at the South Course on Friday.
Corpus, who faltered with a 39 on the front nine, steadied himself with the composure of a rising champion. Regrouping on the back nine, he delivered two clutch birdies in his final four holes to seal his maiden victory on the Pilipinas Golf Tour.
He finished at 11-under 277, four strokes clear of Chan. Yet the scoreline belied the intensity of their duel – a tense, nerve-wracking battle that remained on edge until the closing stretch.
“This win means the world to me,” Corpus said, still soaking in the moment. “This is why we wake up, this is why we practice, this is why we do what we do – to be able to win.”
Comparing his PGT breakthrough to his earlier ADT triumph, he added: “There’s no better feeling than winning, especially on your home course, in front of my family and friends. It truly means the world.”
Chan, unyielding all afternoon, clawed back with a blistering three-birdie run from No. 14 to draw level at 10-under.
But just as momentum swung his way, his challenge faltered. A bogey at the 17th stalled his charge, and another slip on the final hole sealed his fate. He closed with a 72 for a 280 total.
What had promised a gripping showdown between two of the country’s brightest young stars ended in anticlimax. Both Corpus and Chan, fresh off historic back-to-back ADT victories in Morocco last June, underscored the rising stature of Philippine golf – even as Friday’s finish proved as dramatic as it was unpredictable.
