GEN. TRIAS, Cavite – Veteran Guido van der Valk relied on experience and resilience to conquer the wind-swept Faldo Course, firing a gritty 69 to seize the lead after another grueling day in the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Championship.
The Manila-based Dutchman put himself in prime position for redemption, determined to bounce back from a heartbreaking playoff loss at The Country Club Invitational in January.
From joint 16th and seven strokes behind, the two-time TCC Invitational champion surged to the top with a two-over 146 total, proving just how punishing the Faldo Course has been on the field’s skill, strategy, and mental toughness.
Tuesday’s conditions remained brutal, with swirling winds and tricky pin placements, but van der Valk delivered a gutsy performance, sinking crucial long putts.
“This course is so hard. I really struggled a lot yesterday (Monday), but I managed to hit it a bit better today (Tuesday). I also holed a lot of putts—20-footers that you don’t usually expect to make. That probably helped keep my score way lower than it should’ve been,” van der Valk said.
With 36 holes remaining, he is now within reach of snapping his title drought.
Young Guns in the Hunt
A trio of young challengers stayed within striking distance at 147, ensuring a tense battle ahead in the PHP2 million championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI.
Lloyd Go, who shot an even-par 72, and Sean Ramos and Hyun Ho Rho, who carded identical 73s, credited improved putting for keeping them in the hunt in the second leg of the 10-stage Philippine Golf Tour.
Go positioned himself just a shot back after a scorching three-under start through six holes before costly errors derailed his momentum.
“I was able to birdie the easy holes in a back-nine start. I was three-under after six holes,” Go said. “But I had a costly mistake on No. 2 where I struggled around the green.”
Despite the setback, Go remains locked in.
“I don’t expect anything. It’s hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot. I can’t think ahead,” he added.
Ramos, meanwhile, survived a rollercoaster round of 35-38, battling through five bogeys and four birdies, but credited his improved iron play for keeping him in contention.
“I hit more greens today, which made it easier to make par. My short game and putting were also pretty solid, but the highlight was really my ball-striking,” Ramos said.
Rho, still chasing his first Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) title since topping the Q-School in 2023, also stayed in the mix with four birdies against five bogeys.
“I holed more putts and was driving it straighter, which gave me better chances,” Rho said.
He highlighted his 6-iron approach from 178 yards to within two feet for birdie on No. 16 as one of his best shots of the round.
“But the wind is really tough. The key is hitting fairways and greens because the greens are so tricky,” he added.
Monsalve Collapses, Field Tightens
The Faldo Course proved too unforgiving for overnight leader Ivan Monsalve, who imploded with an 84 after a stunning lead-grabbing 71, dropping to joint 18th at 155—now nine shots off the pace.
Clyde Mondilla, a multi-titled champion, rallied with a 74 to tie unheralded Jeffren Lumbo (75) at 150, while Pradera Verde leg winner Angelo Que rebounded with a 74 to share seventh with rookie pro Jaehyun Jung (76) at 151.
Five-time Order of Merit champion Tony Lascuña struggled to a 77 after an opening 75, slipping to ninth at 152.
Carl Corpus, who opened with an 81, clawed his way back with a 72, salvaging a tie for 10th at 153 with Kakeru Ozeki (77) and Ryan Monsalve (78).
Corpus looked poised for a comeback, sitting three-under through 14 holes, but stumbled with three bogeys in his last four holes, losing valuable strokes.
41 Players Make the Cut
A total of 41 players advanced to the final rounds at 159.
Among them, Belem Arancon (80), Taewon Ha (84), and Myung Chal Hwang (78) barely secured their spots.
Others who made it include James Lam (77), Gerald Rosales (81), Orlan Sumcad (75), Dino Villanueva (79), and amateur Bobe Salahog (78), all tied at 34th place.
With two rounds left, and the Faldo Course showing no signs of easing up, the battle for the Eagle Ridge crown remains wide open.
No lead is safe under these brutal conditions.
