Fidel Concepcion captured his first-ever Philippine Golf Tour crown in the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic here Friday – but not before enduring one of the toughest, most nerve-wracking finishes imaginable.
What looked like a walk in the park quickly turned into a test of will and composure. Concepcion, who had built a commanding six-stroke lead midway through the final round of the P3.5 million championship, needed a career-defining birdie from 10 feet on the second playoff hole to edge Korea’s Jaehyun Jung and capture the elusive victory.
‘Honestly, it’s unreal,’ said Concepcion, visibly emotional as he struggled to find the right words. ‘It’s one of those things you never know if it will ever happen. And somehow – it did.’
The path to the playoff was anything but smooth. After birdies on Nos. 1 and 3, Concepcion appeared in total control at two-under through seven, six shots clear of Tony Lascuna. But a double bogey on the par-4 eighth and another dropped shot on No. 10 cracked the door open for the field.