Salvador tops ICTSI Splendido

ELMER Salvador roared back from a two-shot deficit at the start of the day to pick up his first title of the year yesterday, shooting a five-under-par 67 to claim the P2 million ICTSI Splendido Classic in Tagaytay by a shot over Jay Bayron.

The Philippine Open champion in 2009, the soft-spoken Salvador was actually three-back after starting the final round with a bogey, but drained all six of his birdies in the next 10 holes for a 33-34 and 277 overall.

Bayron, who owns two leg titles this season, saw his own rally fall short. A closing 66 left him a stroke behind, with Antonio Lascuña checking in third another shot back after a 70.

Jonel Ababa, who started the day with a two-shot lead, hobbled home with a 73 and settled for fourth at 280, tied with American-Korean Micah Shin, who fired a 71.

“Definitely, it’s nice to win again. I thought that I was going to be title-less this season,” an ecstatic Salvador said in Filipino.

“Except for that opening bogey, I was solid from tee to green and my putting clicked today,” added Salvador, who bankrolled P360,000 for his efforts.

Rey Pagunsan, the veteran journeyman who stood just a stroke behind South Korea’s Seok Jun-min after the first round, fired a 71 for 281, with Peter Stojanovski of Australia finishing at 283 also after a 71.

Seok, after carving out a 66, failed to crack par for the third straight round and finished with a 284 tally like Michael Bibat, who fired a 70. Mark Fernando had a 69 and completed the top 10 at 286.