Dutchman leads by 2 shots

BACOLOD—Guido Van der Valk sizzled early with long birdies then hit another at the finish to card a four-under 66 and grab a two-stroke lead as Elmer Salvador tumbled on a triple-bogey finish halfway through the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at Iloilo Golf and Country Club here Thursday.

Salvador, sustaining his form following a victory in the pro-am Tuesday, rattled off four straight birdies from No. 5 that capped a scorching six-birdie binge from No. 2 on his homeward trip, shoving the veteran Davaoeño shotmaker past Van der Valk with an eight-under overall card.

But he hit an errant approach shot on the par-4 No. 9, the ball hitting a tree and into a hazard. He dumped his wedge shot into the greenside bunker then two-putted for 7, enabling the Manila-based Dutchman to wrest a two-stroke lead at seven-under 133 and on course for a follow up to his maiden triumph at Eagle Ridge in March.

“If you’re not on the right spots, oh my God,” said Van der Valk, who birdied three of the first four holes from long range, including a chip-in from 10 yards on No. 4, to get going. “The course should not be taken lightly.”