Salvador wrests one-shot lead

CEBU–Growing up in a poor neighborhood that produced a lot of the country’s past and present professional hotshots, Elmer Salvador just can’t wait for the day when he would be able to bring home his own champion’s trophy as a pro.

After shooting a four-under-par 68 yesterday that gave him the first round lead in the First Gentleman’s Professional Golf Circuit at the well-kept Cebu Country Club, Salvador seems ready to finally hit paydirt.

Salvador, who counts Antonio Lascuna, Cassius Casas and Cesar Ababa as among his childhood friends, strung up three birdies and made four in a five-hole stretch on the way to the day’s best round and a one-stroke lead over Rodrigo Cuello and Benjie Magada.

The 32-year-old Salvador capped his round with a sidehill-downhill birdie putt from 24 feet on the 18th to get his first taste of the leadership in a four-year career as a pro.

Salvador is best-remembered for his longshot victory in the Philippine amateurs at Alabang in 1998 and one of only few to hold that title but didn’t play for the national team since he turned pro right after.

"Hindi pa naman ako naiinip na manalo. Karamihan ng mga kaibigan ko bigtime na pero mga inspirasyon ko sila," said Salvador not among the first five winners this season but is No. 9 on the money list.

Ababa, who lost by a stroke to Angelo Que last week in Bacolod, resumed his campaign to end a long title drought bankrolled by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo’s foundation and San Miguel Beer with a 70 for solo third in the event. WG&A Super Ferry is the official carrier.

Magada, who had a disappointing 28th place showing after topping the Iloilo stop, regained lost ground by coming to within a stroke of Salvador like Cuello, one of the tour’s biggest names still trying to come up with a decent finish.

Cuello started out hot with a 31 in the front nine but struggled with a 38 coming home. Magada was very consistent with his 35-34. Playing conditions improve a bit compared to their struggle with the puzzling greens at Marapara last week with seven managing to break par.

"Mahirap pa ring mag-basa ng allowance. Dahil na rin siguro matagal kaming hindi nakapag-ikot sa mga courses dito," said Salvador who equalled his best finish in the tour by sharing third with Sinfuego last week.

Sinfuego, the Canlubang leg winner who is leading the Order of Merit with winnings of P203,700, scored a 71 and was joined by Danny delos Santos, Edwin Sanchez and the rejuvenated former RP Open champ Mario Manubay.

Of the notables, Lascuna led the group at 72, Que and Casas had 73s and Robert Pactolerin opened with a sorry 77.