In-form Salvador eyes 3rd Aboitiz golf title

Elmer Salvador shoots for an Asian Development Tour first starting Wednesday as he tries to win the Aboitiz Invitational for the third straight year in the tournament’s new home, the Couples course of The Riviera.

The champion of the last two editions in Cebu, Salvador will be up against a slew of formidable contenders, counting countrymen Antonio Lascuña, Angelo Que and Miguel Tabuena, in his quest for ADT history in the $100,000 event.

Also seeing action is Jay Bayron, the winner of the inaugural staging in 2011, also at Cebu Country Club, and who is no stranger to winning ADT events, being the winningest Filipino in the circuit with three triumphs.

The foreign challenge will be led by Thai aces Wisut Artjanawat, the former Putra Cup champion; Pavit Tangkomolprasert and Sattaya Supupramai, American Brent Munson and Englishman Peter Richardson.

“I will not be thinking of the record, I will just play my game,” Salvador said in Filipino.

The 43-year-old former caddy at Apo Golf in Davao is playing well lately, chalking up two runner-up finishes on the local ICTSI Tour before the circuit went on a month-long break following stops in Bacolod and Iloilo.

Lascuña, meanwhile, won the Bacolod leg and is also raring to firm up his hold of the Order of Merit lead over Salvador, which is just over P145,000 going into the Aboitiz event.

The Couples layout is a far easier course than the adjacent Langer course, where Salvador won an ADT leg.

Length will not be a factor for anyone in the field unless the winds blow hard. The Couples’ primary defense will be its sleek greens and tall roughs and anyone who consistently finds the fairways will be due for a low round.

The traditional pro-am tournament will be held on Tuesday with the leading pros teaming up with amateur guests coming from the event’s chief backers, including Nike Golf, Pacsports Phils. Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Mizuno, Empire Golf, Footjoy, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, Sharp and KZG.