Flawless Salvador sizzles with 67, pulls away by 4

TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite – Dabawenyo Elmer Salvador blitzed the Sherwood Hills layout with another bogey-free round – a five-under 67 – as he threatened to blow the field in the P1 million ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic with a four-stroke lead over townmate Cassius Casas here Friday.
Sustaining the form he showed in shooting a lead-tying 68 in the first round, Salvador outgunned veteran Asian Tour campaigner and erstwhile joint leader Mars Pucay with three birdies at the front then added two more coming home to become the first player in recent memory to preserve a bogey-free stint throughout 36 holes.
“I’ve been hitting the ball quite well these days,” said Salvador, who gained so much confidence following his runner-up finish to Indian Himmat Rai in the Singapore Classic of the Asian Tour last month where he lost in a thrilling six-hole playoff.
But what motivates the reticent Davaoeno shotmaker most is his desire to end a long title drought in the ICTSI revival of the pro tour he dominated in 2009 when he emerged the Order of Merit champion.
“I actually can’t remember when was the last time I won. It’s been a long time,” added Salvador, whose nine-under 135 aggregate put him way ahead of Casas and 18 holes away from scoring his first victory since topping the kick off leg of last year’s circuit at Mt. Malarayat.
Casas, who snatched the ICTSI Del Monte crown from Salvador last year after the latter and two others were disqualified on a final-hole infraction, birdied three of his last 11 holes in scorching heat to shoot that 69 and assume the challenger’s role at 139.
His hunger for title also makes Casas a serious threat in today’s final round of the 54-hole event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“My confidence is very high and I’ll do everything to win again,” said Casas.
While the other frontrunners stumbled with over par scores and tumbled down the leaderboard, one player who struggled in the first round bounced back with an impressive card to fuel his own title bid in the tournament sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Artemio Murakami, virtually written off with a so-so 75 in the first round, fought back with a 66 as he tamed the backside of the wind-raked Sherwood with a five-under 31, capped by a four-birdie windup. He then eagled the par-5 eighth to negate his final hole bogey at No. 9 for a 141 for third, six strokes adrift.
Pucay, who matched Salvador’s opening 68 to force a four-way tie for the lead with Gene Bondoc and Tony Lascuna Thursday, lost his way in the face of Salvador’s awesome form, fumbling with four bogeys against two birdies for a 74 and a 142.
Lascuna came in ruffled by the wind in one of the late afternoon flights and hobbled with a 75, dropping to solo fifth at 143 while Bondoc also fell by the wayside with a four-over 76, slipping to joint sixth with Michael Bibat, who shot a 69, and Danny Zarate, who carded a 74.
Pooling similar 145s were Richard Sinfuego (71), Elmer Saban and Arnold Villacencio, who both had 75s.
ICTSI Del Monte leg winner Mhark Fernando carded a 73 and stood 10 strokes off Salvador at 148 in the company of Anthony Fernando, who matched par 72, and ICTSI Bacolod leg winner Robert Pactolerin, who had a 74, while two-leg winner Jhonnel Ababa, who reigned in Iloilo and Riviera, limped home with a 75 and fell to 149.
The 12th leg of the 16-stage circuit is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Ababa seeks 3rd ICTSI win at Sherwood

In-form Dabawenyo Jhonnel Ababa gears up for another crack at the crown on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour as he heads the pack in the P1 million ICTSI Sherwood Hills Golf Classic slated Sept. 28-30 at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club.
The tough, windy par-72 course in Trece Martires, Cavite poses almost the same challenge as that of Riviera’s layout where Ababa booked her second leg victory by rallying from seven strokes down to frustrate Jay Bayron and nip Cassius Casas by one.
But Ababa, the former amateur hotshot who scored his maiden win on the tour with a playoff victory over Bayron in the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge last July, will have a tougher set of rivals next week with the return to action by the likes of Asian Tour campaigners Tony Lascuna, Artemio Murakami, Gerald Rosales and Elmer Salvador.
Also in the 70-player roster is a hungry bunch of players hoping to finally hit paydirt in the 12th leg of the 16-stage tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments. Inc. They include Antonio Asistio II, Jerson Balasabas, Jun Bernis, Rufino Bayron, Dante Becierra, Michael Bibat, Gene Bondoc, Jerome Delariarte, Anthony Fernando, Charles Hong, Randy Garalde, Elmer Saban, Rey Pagunsan, Erwin Vinluan and Arnold Villacencio.
Also in the fold are leg champions Mhark Fernando (ICTSI Del Monte), Robert Pactolerin (ICTSI Negros Occidental) and Jay Bayron (Aboitiz Invitational) and former winners Ferdie Aunzo, Danny Zarate, Benjie Magada and Marvin Dumandan.
Meanwhile, Ababa remained in fifth place in the Order of Merit ranking but his recent victory hiked his earnings to P761,456, moving him within Lascuna, who has P764,219.
Juvic Pagunsan stayed way out in front with P1,474,604 on four victories while Bayron, the reigning OOM champion, is in second with P933,994 earnings. Salvador, the first OOM winner in 2009, remains in third with P812,019, making the last five legs crucial for the OOM title contenders with Pagunsan out for the rest of the season.
Meanwhie, Villamor Golf Club will host a leg in the circuit for the first time in three years on Oct. 19-21 for the 13th leg. The tour will also make its first stop at Calatagan Golf Club in Batangas for the ICTSI Calatagan Challenge on Oct. 26-28 before Canlubang hosts the penultimate leg on Nov. 9-11 with the ICTSI Canlubang Golf Invitational. The tour winds up with the ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at Wack Wack, which is also hosting a leg for the first time on Nov. 23-25.
The circuit is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Davao's Ababa snatches win as Bayron cracks

SILANG, Cavite - Davao's Jhonnel Ababa rallied from seven strokes down and nipped townmate Cassius Casas by one with a closing one-under 70 for the ICTSI Riviera Classic crown as erstwhile leader Jay Bayron, another Dabawenyo, collapsed with an 81 at Riviera's Langer course here, Friday.
Ababa came through with three birdies in the last 11 holes in second-to-last flight to fuel his title bid then watched Bayron throw away strokes in the last six holes to snatch the crown, his second in the last five legs of the circuit. He wound up with a 217, four-over at the wind-raked, hazard-laden par-71 layout.
But it proved enough to secure a follow-up to his victory in the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge at Sta. Barbara last July where he also fought back from five strokes down to beat Bayron in a playoff for his maiden win on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
"I was just lucky and Jay had a bad game," said Ababa, who banked another P200,000 from the total prize fund of P1 million in the 11th leg of the 16-stage tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Bayron, who appeared headed for another romp after storming to a five-shot lead over Rey Pagunsan and seven over Ababa with 18 holes to play, bogeyed the first three holes in windy condition, made another three-string bogey from No. 5 before dropping two strokes on No. 9 against a lone birdie on No. 8 for a horrible 42.
He birdied No. 10 but made four bogeys in the last six holes for that nine-over 81 in a bizarre fold-up from a player who routed the field at Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI with a startling five-under 30 at the backside of Cebu Country Club three weeks ago.
"I had a tough day out there. The wind was so strong from the start," rued Bayron, whose championship flightmates Pagunsan and Anthony Fernando also turned in over-par rounds of 77 and 73, respectively.
Casas, who shared the first-round lead with Antonio Asistio II but reeled back with a 77 in the second round, three-putted No. 17 and missed forcing a playoff with Ababa. He also shot a 70 but fell short by one with a 218 worth P120,000.
"If not for my 77 in the second round, I would've won this one," said Casas, who last won at ICTSI Del Monte last year.
Playing in third to the last flight, Casas matched par 35 at the front to catch up with Ababa and made two birdies against a bogey at the back to remain tied for the lead. But he three-putted the 17th to fall behind and missed an eight-footer for birdie on the tough finishing hole.
Fernando settled for solo third with a 219 after a 73 while Bayron, the reigning Order of Merit champion, tumbled down to fourth with a 221.
Asistio carded a 74 and wound up tied for fifth with Richard Sinfuego (72) and Pagunsan (77) at 222 while Mhark Fernando matched Bayron's tournament-best 67 in the second round with his own four-under card as he salvaged solo eighth at 223.
Korean Wang Jeung Hun made a 74 and emerged the top amateur with a 224 as he shared ninth place with Randy Garalde (74) and Jerson Balasabas (75) in the tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Davao's Bayron storms to 5-shot lead with 67

SILANG, Cavite – Jay Bayron flashed superb putting and turned in a solid four-under 67, pulling away with a five-stroke lead over Rey Pagunsan as the rest continued to struggle at Riviera’s Langer layout in the second round of the P1 million ICTSI Riviera Classic here.
Coming off a shaky first round 73 in tough condition late Wednesday, Bayron took full advantage of his early morning start on Thursday, ramming in six birdies inside 10 feet against a bogey from an errant drive for a 32-35 card as he moved closer to completing a back-to-back title romp in the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
With a 140 aggregate, the runaway winner of the recent Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI in Cebu stood five shots ahead of Pagunsan, who rolled in a 20-footer for par on the 18th to preserve a closing 33 for a 72.
“I was so confident of my putting and made five sidehill-downhill putts,” said Bayron, who banged in a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 3 to get him into the groove. He made a couple of 10 footers on Nos. 7 and 9 then negated a bogey mishap on No. 11 with birdies on Nos. 13 and 16.
Pagunsan, who spent the early part of the season in Japan, recovered from a woeful 39 at the front, firing four bogeys in the last nine holes against a bogey for that 72 and a 145.
Like Bayron, the power-hitting Pagunsan leaned on his putting, sinking birdies inside seven feet on Nos. 10, 11, 13 and 15.
“I putted very well today (Thursday),” said Pagunsan. “But it’s nice to be in the hunt. This is my best chance to win in a long while.”
But he must beat the best in the field as Bayron poised himself up for another victory after closing out with a brilliant 30 to rout the field by five in the Aboitiz Invitational.
With Anthony Fernando wavering with a three-over 74 and dropping six shots behind at 146 and Jhonnel Ababa also carding a 74 for a 147, the battle for the top P200,000 purse in this 11th leg of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. could be just down to the top two players.
But anything can still happen at Langer.
Antonio Asistio II and Cassius Casas, who shared the first round lead with 71s, struggled with their long game and made a pair of 77s as they tumbled down to 148 in a tie with last year’s national champion Clyde Mondilla, who carded a 74.
Marvin Dumandan bounced back a bit with a 72 after a 76 as he joined Casas, Asistio and Mondilla in fourth place while Rufino Bayron and Gary Sales both shot 72s to be at 149 in the company of Ramil Bisera (76), Jerson Balasabas (74) and amateur Art Arbole (75).
The event, sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Casas, Asistio share lead with 71s

SILANG, Cavite – Cassius Casas of Davao and Antonio Asistio II took different routes to produce the same results – a pair of 71s – that proved to be the best scores in a punishing day at Riviera’s Langer layout at the start of the P1 million ICTSI Riviera Classic here, Wednesday.
Unfancied Randy Garalde actually appeared headed for the first day honors in this 11th leg of the 16-stage ICTSI-Philippine Golf Circuit with a one-under card but succumbed to the demanding condition of the ravine-laced par-71 course and bogeyed the last three holes.
That enabled Casas and Asistio to snatch the lead with the former, seeking to end a year-long title drought, hitting three birdies at the back for a 38-33 and the latter, still in search of a maiden win in two years, birdying two of the last three holes at the front for a 36-35.
They took a one-stroke lead over Anthony Fernando, the former national champion also in pursuit of a breakthrough victory in the circuit who overcame two double-bogeys and two bogeys with four birdies for solo third at two-over 72.
Garalde’s closing 38 dropped him to joint fourth at 73 with fancied Jay Bayron, Jhonnel Ababa, Rey Pagunsan and Rami Bisera as the rest either groped for form or simply stumbled with poor rounds at one of the country’s toughest courses.
Bayron, coming off a big win at Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI in Cebu three weeks ago, took his familiar role as leader with a one-under 35 at the back. But the reigning Order of Merit champion wavered with three bogeys in a birdie-less stint at the front.
Ababa, who nipped Bayron in a playoff to clinch his maiden win at ICTSI-Iloilo Golf Challenge, also had a decent 35 at the front but with a closing 38.
Gene Bondoc strung up nines of 36-38 for a 74 as he tied amateurs Clyde Mondilla, Art Arbole and Korean Wang Jeung Hun while Jerson Balasabas carded a 75 for a share of 13th place with Christopher delos Santos, Richard Sinfuego, Ebarra Quiachon, Dante Becierra , James Ryan Lam, Richard Abaring and another amateur Zanie Boy Gialon.
Mhark Fernando, one of the pre-tournament favorites to contend for the crown after ruling this event as an amateur in 2009, never recovered from a horrible 41 at the front and ended up with an 81. At joint 54th, the ICTSI Del Monte leg winner is in danger of missing the cut for the third time in 11 legs of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Marvin Dumandan, another top player tipped to vie for this week’s title, double bogeyed No. 16 and limped home with a 76 in a tie with Danny Zarate, Rufino Bayron, Edwin Estrera and Charles Hong.
The event, sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)

Pros face acid test as ICTSI Riviera unfolds

DUMANDAN

ABABA

SILANG, Cavite - The men of the tour face a wide range of tests - from the tricky layout, the testy putting surface and the wind - as they resume their title chase in the P1 million ICTSI Riviera Classic, which unwraps on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Riviera's Langer course here.

Davao's Jay Bayron is out to make it two-in-row after stamping his class with a brilliant final round blitz in the Aboitiz Invitational presented by ICTSI in Cebu three weeks ago, Mhark Fernando hopes to re-display his mastery of the par-71 layout while Marvin Dumandan is upbeat of his chances on a course he used to call home.

With Jhonnel Ababa, another Dabawenyo, and Robert Pactolerin raring to book their second leg titles on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour and a host of others going all out for a first victory on a busy season, the battle for the top P200,000 purse in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. is indeed expected to be fierce.

But the field faces an assortment of challenges at the demanding layout which requires not just precise shot-making and steady putting but also mental toughness with the dreaded wind expected to come into play on most holes.

The absence of some of the tour’s big guns, who are competing in the Macau Open also this week, makes the title chase in this 11th leg of a 16-stage circuit, sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., even tighter with Rufino Bayron and Anthony Fernando hoping to finally hit pay-dirt along with Antonio Asistio II, Carl Santos-Ocampo, Erwin Vinluan, Orlan Sumcad, Arnold Villacencio, Gene Bondoc, Elmer Saban, Jun Bernis, Jerson Balasabas and Dante Becierra.

Ferdie Aunzo, out to end a long title drought after scoring a breakthrough win at ICTSI-Royal Northwoods last year, is also tipped to contend for the crown along with veteran campaigners Cassius Casas, Richard Sinfuego, Jerome Delariarte, Benjie Magada and Rey Pagunsan.

Also in the fold is Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who figured in a five-man playoff, together with Elmer Salvador, in last Sunday’s Singapore Classic, who is expected to crowd the top local shotmakers in the event backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.

But focus will be on Jay Bayron, Mhark Fernando, Dumandan, Ababa, Casas, Rufino Bayron and Anthony Fernando, who are all out to boost their respective ranking in the Top 10 of the current Order of Merit of the ICTSI-PGT.

Jay Bayron, the reigning OOM winner, is in second place behind suspended Juvic Pagunsan with Ababa in fifth followed by Dumandan, Fernando, Casas, Rufino Bayron and Anthony Fernando.

Meanwhie, the tour heads to Sherwood Golf Club, also in Cavite, for the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic on Sept. 28-30 with the Villamor Golf Club debuting in the circuit in three years by hosting the ICTSI Villamor Classic on Oct. 19-21.

The circuit will also make its first stop at Calatagan Golf Club in Batangas for the ICTSI Calatagan Challenge on Oct. 26-28 before Canlubang hosts the penultimate leg on Nov. 9-11 with the ICTSI Canlubang Golf Invitational. The tour winds up with the ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at Wack Wack, which is also hosting a leg for the first time on Nov. 23-25.(pr)

BAYRON

FERNANDO

Fernando seeks to relive ICTSI Riviera glory

Mhark Fernando hopes to re-acquaint himself with Riviera’s dreaded Langer layout where he won a pro title as an amateur two years ago as he joins the title hunt in the ICTSI Riviera Classic which gets going Wednesday (Sept. 14). Fernando, then spearhead of the national squad, survived the harsh playing condition and humbled the star-studded pro field to win in Sept. 2009, beating Ferdie Aunzo, Richard Sinfuego and Edwin Sanchez by three. He topped the Phl team elims, also at Langer, one month later to underscore his mastery of the up-and-down par-71 course. With a confidence boosted by his breakthrough victory as a pro at ICTSI Del Monte Championship last month, Fernando looms as one of the players to beat in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, inc. But the soft-spoken ace shotmaker opted to downplay his chances in the P1 million event serving as the 11th leg of the 16-stage ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour. “It’s always an anybody’s race when you play Riviera. But I like my chances although everybody can win there,” said Fernando. “It will depend on one’s form and the condition of the course.” Marvin Dumandan is the other player to watch in the event with last year’s three-leg winner, the former club pro, hoping to re-flash his familiarity with the hazard-laden layout, which changes in character in every twirl of the wind. Meanwhile, Fernando and Dumandan and the other leading pros get the chance to test the course as they play in the traditional pro-am tournament today (Tuesday) along with the guests and officials of the event’s chief backers, including MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports. With the most feared player on the tour out for the rest of the season, the chase for the top P200,000 purse turns into anybody’s race with Jay Bayron also fancied to crowd Fernando and Dumandan for this week’s crown. Juvic Pagunsan, winner of four of the tour’s first 10 legs and the runaway leader in the Order of the Merit race, was suspended for the rest of the season for breach of PGTI (Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.) rules on players’ conduct, sending the battle for the OOM crown into a wide-open affair. Bayron, who frustrated Pagunsan with a final leg win at ICTSI Canlubang to snatch the OOM crown last year, now has P883,994 earnings, still way behind Pagunsan’s P1,474,604 winnings but confident of catching up with six more legs left in the circuit. Others tipped to figure in the title chase in the title hunt are leg winners Jhonnel Ababa (Iloilo) and Robert Pactolerin (Bacolod), Cassius Casas, Anthony Fernando and brother Rufino Bayron and Jerson Balasabas and Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Aunzo. Meanwhile, Elmer Salvador is just behind Bayron in the OOM race with P812,019 followed by Tony Lascuna (P764,219), Ababa (P561,456), Dumandan (P506,632), Mhark Fernando (P395,864), Casas (P314,254), Rufino Bayron (P311,654) and Anthony Fernando (P311,205).(pr)