STA. Rosa, Laguna – Bracing for what she thought would be a grind-it-out match, Mafy Singson instead walked away from the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational Final with a commanding 6&5 triumph over Martina Miñoza on Friday – an outcome no one, including Singson herself, saw coming.
Struggling with her putting touch all week, Singson finally found her rhythm the moment she stepped onto the green. Her first putt of the day – smooth, confident and dead-center – set the tone. From there, the cup seemed to widen for her, each putt falling with a kind of inevitability that slowly drained any hopes of a Miñoza comeback.
After birdieing the opening hole, Singson seized control by taking the fourth, sixth and the two holes that followed, storming to a commanding five-hole advantage at the turn.
Miñoza, known for her steadiness and resilience, kept searching for a spark but never found the momentum she needed and yielded the match after just 13 holes.
“I honestly thought we’d go the full 18,” said Singson, acknowledging her opponent’s normally sharp iron play and composed short game. “I didn’t expect to win by this margin, but my putts just kept going in.”
They did – almost effortlessly, relentlessly.
A stark contrast from the pressure-filled semifinal against Daniella Uy, where Singson had to dig deep for a nerve-wracking 1-up victory.
But despite the lopsided score in the final, Singson, who banked P280,000, refused to call it easy.
“It really wasn’t. But I was striking the ball well, and I felt good with my putting. The confidence was there right from the first hole,” she said.
That confidence, however, came with emotion simmering beneath the surface.
This win meant more to Singson than just another title. It was a victory she dedicated to her beloved grandfather, who passed away 40 days earlier. As soon as she closed out the match on the 13th, rain began to fall over the TCC course.
“As soon as I won, it rained,” she said, her voice cracking as she wiped away tears. “I think it was him… showering me.”
Singson admitted she had been frustrated the previous month when she failed to win at Apo Golf – her home turf – where she had hoped to honor her grandfather. This time, she felt she made him proud.
Her victory at TCC also capped a two-win season, adding to her playoff triumph over Florence Bisera earlier at Eagle Ridge. For Singson, conquering the formidable TCC layout – something she had long struggled with – made the moment even sweeter.
“Winning here at TCC isn’t something everyone can say. So this really means a lot,” she said.
Miñoza, meanwhile, looked forward to building on her performance after defeating last year’s Order of Merit champion Harmie Constantino in the semifinals. But on this day, Singson was simply untouchable – overpowering with her long game, precise with her irons, and deadly with the putter. Miñoza received P200,000.
Meanwhile, Constantino salvaged a measure of pride by stamping her class in the battle for third, routing Uy with a decisive 4&3 victory. Regaining her rhythm after a tough semis exit, Constantino controlled the match from the early holes and never allowed Uy to mount a serious charge.
With the win, Constantino pocketed ₱150,000, while Uy settled for ₱120,000 after a gritty but challenging week.
As Singson closes the season third in the Ladies PGT Order of Merit behind Sarah Ababa and Bisera, she hopes her strong finish sparks greater consistency, both locally and internationally.
“I’ve been playing on the China Tour but haven’t been doing so well. I’ll have to re-qualify again,” she said.
With this resounding victory, however, Singson heads into the next year with renewed confidence, sharper focus and the memory of her grandfather guiding her forward.
