Davao's Salvador seeks redemption as ICTSI Eastridge unwraps

The P1 million ICTSI Eastridge Classic gets under way on Wednesday, June 1 with Davao City's Elmer Salvador and a slew of others out to slow down a streaking Juvic Pagunsan at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.

Salvador is eyeing no less than a payback as he tries to even things up with Pagunsan, who rallied from four strokes down to snatch the ICTSI Orchard crown with a course-record setting nine-under 63 at the Palmer course two weeks ago.

That was Pagunsan’s second victory after three legs of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour after the smooth-swinging former Asian Tour top rookie dominated the kickoff leg at Royal Northwoods with a wire-to-wire triumph last March.

Pagunsan actually missed the cut in the second leg at ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat last April after turning in a pair of uncharacteristic rounds of 83 and 77. But he quickly redeemed himself in the P2.5 million ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship, stringing three-straight under par rounds to frustrate Salvador and rout the star-studded field in the richest leg on the 17-leg circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Salvador, however, hopes to get back at Pagunsan at Eastridge, where he won when the mountain-top layout last hosted a big tournament in 2009.

The soft-spoken Davaoeno shotmaker, the 2009 Philippine Open and Order of Merit winner, nipped Danny Zarate in sudden death to capture the inaugural Saving Laguna Lake Pro-Am Invitational title two years ago.

“Kailangan pa ring mag-trabaho at magagaling ang mga kalaban (I still have to work hard since there are a lot of good players),” said Salvador.

The field includes veteran Asian Tour campaigners Tony Lascuna and Artemio Murakami, Marvin Dumandan, Mhark Fernando, Cassius Casas, Jhonnel Ababa, Ferdie Aunzo, Michael Bibat, Antonio Asistio II and Rufino Bayron while teener Miguel Tabuena also expects to figure in the race for the top P200,000 purse in the 54-hole event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Tabuena, 16, remains in search of a win after opting to join the pro ranks early this year although the former Asian Games silver medalist has failed to live up to the hype with mediocre finishes in the Philippine Open and at ICTSI Orchard.

But things and fortunes could change at the wind-swept, rolling par-71 layout with deep ravines and unpredictable putting surface.

The event is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno,PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.PR

ELMER SALVADOR IS SUPPORTED BY REDGOLF.