NEGROS OCCIDENTAL — Fourteen years after turning professional, Art Arbole finally has a Philippine Golf Tour title.
He had to survive a disastrous 7, overcome a three-shot deficit, and hold off a field of proven winners to get it.
Arbole fired a closing 2-under 70 Thursday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club to win the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic by one stroke, finishing at 10-under 270. Jeffren Lumbo rallied with a 67 for second at 271, while Jhonnel Ababa carded a 71 to finish third at 272.
The victory ended the 35-year-old Arbole's long wait for his first PGT championship and came just days before his 36th birthday on Sept. 29.
“Thank you, Lord. I really prayed for this win. Kasi, coming Sept. 29, birthday ko. So, binigay Niya talaga. Ang sarap sa feeling na binigay Niya (Thank you, Lord. I really prayed for this win. My birthday is coming Sept. 29, so He really gave it to me. It feels so good that He gave it to me)
,” Arbole said.
The title looked far from certain after Arbole surrendered his early lead on the fourth hole. He drove out of bounds, hit a tree with his second drive, and needed a punch-out before reaching the green in five. He eventually made a 7 as Ababa birdied the hole, turning a one-shot lead into a two-shot deficit.
“Grabe, parang nag-shutdown na lahat after kong ma-OB (It was terrible. It felt like everything shut down after I went out of bounds),” Arbole said.
He refused to let the mistake derail him.
“Laban lang. Laban lang (Just keep fighting. Keep fighting),” he said.
Arbole dropped another stroke on No. 8 and fell three shots behind before launching his comeback. He birdied No. 9 and No. 10, then added birdies on Nos. 12 and 14 to turn the deficit into a two-shot lead.
“I just hung in there and stayed focused. I never let those early setbacks shake my mindset,” he said.
Several experienced players remained within striking distance, but one by one, they faded.
Ababa, a former PGT Order of Merit champion and winner of the 2024 ICTSI Apo Golf Classic, stayed in contention before bogeying the 17th. Lumbo, who won the South Pacific leg last year, briefly moved to 9 under after birdieing No. 10 but settled for pars over the final eight holes.
Multi-titled Zanieboy Gialon shot a 33 on the front nine to join the chase but could not sustain the charge. He finished fourth at 273 after a 68.
Defending champion Rupert Zaragosa also threatened after making three consecutive birdies from No. 7 to move within one shot of the lead. A bogey on No. 13 dropped him back, and two more bogeys on the final two holes left him fifth at 275 after a 70.
Arbole entered the final hole with a one-shot lead but made the finish more difficult with an aggressive choice on the par-5. Instead of laying up with a rescue club, he pulled out his 3-wood and pulled the shot toward the adjacent No. 1 fairway.
Trees blocked his path to the green for his third shot.
“Sa third shot, sabi ko, parang mahirap kasi sobrang taas ng puno. From 150 yards to the pin, I forced it to at least the front of the green (On the third shot, I thought it would be difficult because the trees were so high. From 150 yards to the pin, I forced the shot to at least reach the front of the green),” Arbole said.
His fourth shot rolled about seven steps past the hole, leaving a 21-foot par putt for the championship.
Instead of overthinking it, Arbole trusted the slope and his stroke.
“Actually, nakita ko ’yung slope. Sabi ko, ‘By chance, papasok ’to.’ Parang may boost na nagsasabi, ‘Good stroke lang. Good stroke.’ So, ’yun, nakuha ko (Actually, I saw the slope. I told myself, ‘By chance, this might go in.’ It was like something inside me said, ‘Just make a good stroke.’ So I did),” he said.
(Actually, I saw the slope. I told myself, ‘By chance, this might go in.’ It was like something inside me said, ‘Just make a good stroke.’ So I did.)
The putt dropped, ending 14 years of near-misses.
His fellow players rushed toward him and doused him with water as the celebration erupted around the 18th green.
“Hindi ko talaga in-expect na manalo dito, pero napi-feel ko na kaya ko kasi nakuha ko na yung palo na gusto ko talaga. So, yes, yung palo nga, tapos nag-connect pa ang irons at putting ko (I really didn't expect to win here, but I felt I could do it because I finally found the swing I wanted. My swing, irons, and putting all came together),” he said.
(I really didn't expect to win here, but I felt I could do it because I finally found the swing I wanted. My swing, irons, and putting all came together.)
The victory earned Arbole P448,750, but the bigger prize was the championship that had eluded him since he turned professional in 2012.
He made the cut in his first professional tournament at Splendido Taal but finished last. Over the next 14 years, he continued grinding through the PGT, producing strong rounds and occasional contention without breaking through. His previous best finish was a top-five showing at the 2024 Lakewood Championship.
This time, he survived the setbacks that had derailed him before.
Arbole credited his family and supporters, including Total Power, Jack Tan and Roxanne Raquel, and Cangolf's Luigi Yulo, for standing by him throughout his career.
“Unang-una sa lahat, gusto kong pasalamatan ang asawa at anak ko kasi sila talaga yung fan number one ko (First of all, I want to thank my wife and child because they are truly my No. 1 fans),” he said.
After 14 years of waiting, Arbole finally had his breakthrough.
And it took a 7, a furious rally, and a 21-foot par putt on the final hole to make it happen. PR
