FORMER Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador has thrown his hat to the already wide-open ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic starting today at the up-and-down, hazard-laden layout in Davao.
The soft-spoken 45-year-old, who learned the game as a caddy at nearby Apo Golf, will be joining fellow big guns Antonio Lascuna, Jay Bayron and Marvin Dumandan and the revered Frankie Miñoza in the hunt for prizes.
Lascuna and Bayron already have victories in the local circuit this year, and, being natives of Davao, know how to play the well-manicured layout flaunting bending fairways and elevated greens.
Salvador, the former Order of Merit champion, will be coming off a joint 62nd place finish in the Selangor Masters in Malaysia last week.
The 54-hole event, the fifth leg of the 17-stop circuit, is being backed by Nike Golf, Empire Golf and Sports Shop, Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, Foot Joy, Callaway, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers, Cleveland Golf and Sharp.
Meanwhile, young Zanie Boy Gialon led his team composed of Mayong Pillerin, Andy Ugdoracion and Jaime Tan Jr. to victory in yesterday’s pro-am tournament with a 54