Trece Martirez, Cavite—Elmer Salvador recorded the first double-eagle in ICTSI Tour to highlight a six-under-par 66 yesterday for a two-stroke lead over Jay Bayron after the first round of the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Challenge.
Salvador, the defending champion here, conquered the ravine-filled, wind-swept layout with a combination of long hitting and accurate approaches as he kept the other big guns at bay in the P2.5 million event.
It was also Salvador’s first double-eagle in an official tournament, one he made after bombing his drive off the 532-yard 15th tee and being left with 147 yards, a smooth 8-iron, for his second shot.
“I’ve had several double eagles in my career, but all came in practice rounds,” Salvador, the 2009 Philippine Open champion, said. “This is special because it came in an official tournament and it gave me the lead.”
Bayron drained six birdies that went with two bogeys to be two shots clear of Michael Bibat and three over Zannie Boy Gialon and veteran Benjie Magada, who tallied 71s.
Bayron, the soft-spoken native of Davao, is also looking for a first title in local soil since winning the Aboitiz leg in Cebu last year.
Miguel Tabuena, the Splendido leg winner, and Antonio Lascuna, the veteran who has never tasted victory in this tour, both signed for 72s to be tied with two others, including newly crowned Philippine Amateur (Closed) champion Jik-Jik Abdon.
Marvin Dumandan, the 2010 champion here, struggled to a 74 like former Philippine Open champions Cassius Casas and Artemio Murakami.
Frankie Miñoza had just three birdies, four bogeys and an uncharacteristic double bogey on the par-4 10th for a 75.
The leading scores:
66 – E. Salvador 33-33; 68 – J. Bayron 33-35; 70 – M. Bibat 36-34; 71 – Z. Gialon 34-37, B. Magada 36-35; 72 – A. Fernando 37-35, M. Tabuena 36-36, A. Lascuna 37-35, J. Abdon (Am) 38-34; 73 – N. Catalan 38-35, J. Ababa 39-034, C. Hong 35-38, C. Villaroman 36-37; 74 – T. Macatangay 34-40, R. Bayron 36-38, D. Becierra 36-38, C. Santos-Ocampo 36-38, M. Dumandan 37-37, C. Casas 36-38, A. Murakami 37-37.