Salvador claims crown in Aboitiz Invitational

CEBU, Philippines - Red Golf-backed Elmer Salvador blew away the opposition to bag the title of the Aboitiz invitational 2012 at the Cebu Country club yesterday.

Salvador, who had to get fitted for clubs last weekend and then had to borrow a pair of shoes from one of the top amateurs of Cebu in order to ease the pain of a sore foot, fired even-par 71 strokes on the final round, but it was enough to keep him perched atop the leaderboard until the last putt was made.

He scored a total of eight-under-par 276 strokes for the four-day event bankrolled by Aboitiz Equity Ventures and sanctioned by both the Philippine Golf Tour and the Asian Development Tour to bag the top prize of $11,375 or roughly P475,000.

The top amateur of the tournament was Jose Angelo ‘Gio’ Gandionco, who finished tied for 32nd with a total of 296 strokes. He fired rounds of 77, 73, 69, and 77.

Jovi Neri of Red Golf told The FREEMAN that they had to custom fit clubs for Salvador when he arrived last weekend for this tournament.

He said that they also had to find shoes for him to wear as he suffered from a sore foot. Luckily, he and Marko Sarmiento, one of the top club players of CCC, have the same size and the move obviously worked for the Davaoeño.

Second place went to Antonio Lascuña who had an aggregate of 282 strokes after a miserable final round that saw him shooting 76 strokes. He made 69 on the first round then shot even-par 71 on the second before shooting 66 on the third round. Lascuña is also from Davao.

Joint third placers were Davao’s Elmer Saban, who was the third man on the championship flight, and Mars Pucay, who finished with 285 strokes.

Saban shot rounds of 75, 71, 67, and 72 while Pucay, winner of the recent Iloilo leg of the PGT, made 73, 72, 68, and 72.

Korean Kim Gi-whan finished at solo fifth with a total of 286 strokes (72-75-70-69). He was followed by Jay Bayron, winner of the first two editions of this tournament, who was tied with Richard Sinfuego for sixth place.

Bayron fired rounds of 71, 71, 75 and 70 while Sinfuego made 70, 75, 72, and 70.

Rookie Clyde Mondilla, an 18-year-old pro from Bukidnon, was solo eighth with a total of 288 strokes on round of 70, 76, 75, and 67. The final round output of Mondilla was the second best for the day.

The best final round score of 66 strokes was made by 17-year-old Miguel Tabuena, but it was not enough to make up for his shaky start where he shot 79 then improved to 72 in the second round before faltering with a 76 in the third.

Tabuena eventually finished tied for 24th with Marvin Dumandan. They both had aggregates of 293 strokes.

Cebuano Charles Hong could not find his mark on the final round and finished with a total of 297 strokes tied for 35th with two others. He fired rounds of 70, 76, 72, and 79.

Hong told The FREEMAN that the course conditions were pretty much the same, but he could not just get his game going on the final day. He, however, said that he enjoys playing in his home course and looks forward to next year’s tournament.

Hong was junior champion several times and at one time also became both junior and club champion on the same year, a record that has not yet been matched.

Frankie Miñoza finished tied for 38th place after shooting rounds of 75, 75, 73, 75 for a total of 298 strokes.

The best finish by a Cebuano in the tournament was made by Danny Zarate, who was tied for 13th along with Angelo Que. They had totals of 291 strokes. - THE FREEMAN