TAGAYTAY – Elmer Salvador won his first title this season following a brilliant 67 yesterday at the Splendido Taal Golf Club.
Quiet in the first 13 legs of the Pilipinas Golf Tour, Salvador roared ahead with six birdies over a 10-hole stretch to capture the ICTSI Splendido Golf Classic at 11-under 277.
He finished one shot ahead of Jay Bayron who closed out with a 66.
“My putting clicked today. Except for my missed green bogey on No. 1, I played solid from tee to green,” said Salvador who pocketed R360,000. “It’s nice to win again. I thought I’d go winless this year.”
Tony Lascuña finished third at 279 following a 70.
Lascuña, the halfway leader, looked headed for victory after going 10-under through 10 holes, but dropped two shots in the next hole after driving out of bounds.
Overnight leader Jhonnel Ababa, whose rare double eagle in the third round put him two shots clear of Lascuña and American Micah Shin, dropped out of the title picture after two bogeys and a double bogey in the first seven holes.
Ababa finished with a 73 to share fourth spot at 280 with Shin who carded a second straight 71.
Rey Pagunsan also closed out with a 71 for sixth at 281 while Aussie Peter Stojanovski turned in a second 71 for seventh at 283 and first round leader Seok Jun Min of Korea fumbled with a 73 and finished tied for eighth with Michael Bibat (70) at 284.
Mhark Fernando fought back with a 69 for a 286 and wound up 10th in the 14th leg of the circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion.