Fourteen years after turning professional, Art Arbole finally claimed his first Philippine Golf Tour title, surviving a disastrous hole and a late scare to win the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Negros Occidental Classic at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club on Thursday.
Arbole fired a closing 70 to finish at 10-under 270, one shot ahead of Jeffren Lumbo, who closed with a 67 for 271. Jhonnel Ababa was third at 272 after a 71, followed by Zanieboy Gialon (273) and two-time champion Rupert Zaragosa (275).
Arbole appeared in danger of losing control after driving out-of-bounds on No. 4 and making a 7, turning a one-shot lead into a two-shot deficit to Ababa. He fell three shots back after a bogey on No. 8 but responded with birdies on Nos. 9, 10, 12 and 14 to regain the lead.
‘I just hung in there and stayed focused. I never let those early setbacks shake my mindset,’ said Arbole, who turns 36 next week.
He survived another scare on the par-5 18th after pulling his drive. Arbole reached the green in four and sank a 21-foot par putt to preserve his one-shot lead.
The victory ended a 14-year wait that began with his professional debut at Splendido Taal in 2012. His previous best PGT finish was a top-five result at the 2024 Lakewood Championship.
‘At the start, I really didn’t expect to win, but I felt like I could do it,’ Arbole said.
Zanieboy Gialon made a move with a 33 on the front nine, only to see his challenge fade into a string of backside pars for a 68.
Zaragosa threatened to turn the finish into a four-man shootout after three straight birdies from No. 7 put him within one shot of the lead at eight-under. But a bogey on No. 13 sent him four shots back, and bogeys on the final two holes dropped him to fifth.