Clyde Mondilla surged to the top of the ICTSI South Pacific Classic leaderboard after shooting an impressive eight-under-par 64 in Thursday’s third round at South Pacific Golf Club in Davao City. The Bukidnon-born golfer overturned a four-stroke deficit to take the outright lead at 16-under 200, putting himself within reach of his first Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) championship since 2024. Mondilla opened with four consecutive birdies and finished with 10 overall, overcoming two bogeys to move ahead of the competition with just 18 holes remaining.
South Korea’s Lee Song, who led after the second round, remained close behind after posting a three-under 69 for a 15-under 201 total, just one stroke off the lead. Sean Ramos occupied third place at 203 following another 69, while Gab Manotoc slipped to fourth at 206 after struggling to a 73. Mondilla credited adjustments to his iron and wedge play for his improved performance, displaying sharper accuracy with his approach shots and finishing his round with back-to-back birdies to secure sole possession of first place.
The final round on Friday, October 23, presents a significant opportunity for Mondilla, who previously held the third-round lead at Pueblo de Oro before a closing 73 dropped him to fourth. His last PGT victory came at Caliraya Springs in 2024, while his earlier achievements include the 2017 PGT Order of Merit title. With a narrow advantage over Song and Ramos still within striking distance, Mondilla will attempt to turn his strong third-round performance into victory in the ₱2.5-million tournament, the penultimate event of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour.
Image from Pilipinas Golf