Salvador claims 2nd ICTSI title

MANILA, Philippines - Elmer Salvador became the first two-leg winner on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, outsteadying amateur Jhonnel Ababa at the backside then thwarting Gene Bondoc with an eagle-aided one-under 71 to rule the ICTSI-Valley Golf Challenge by two at the Valley Golf Club yesterday.

Tied with Ababa and five ahead of four others at the start of the final round, Salvador bucked an opening hole bogey with clutch pars and an eagle on the par-5 No. 7 then watched his amateur rival crack under pressure in the closing holes to clinch the victory on an eight-under 208 aggregate worth P200,000.

Ababa, trying to duplicate reigning national champion and ICTSI-Calatagan teammate’s Mhark Fernando’s big win at ICTSI-Riviera, seized the lead with a par on No. 1 and stayed on top with birdies on Nos. 5 and 7.

But he dropped two shots on the next two holes, fought back with a birdie on No. 13 but bogeyed No. 15 and double-bogeyed the 16th to drop out of contention.

He limped home with a two-over 74 for solo third at 211.

Bondoc, who led in the first round with a 67 but dropped to joint third with a 75 after 36 holes, bounced back with a four-under 68 behind a four-birdie romp at the back but ran out of holes in his comeback bid.

He wound up with a six-under 210 for second, his best finish so far on the tour after finishing third in the ICTSI-Forest Hills Invitational last month. He took home P120,000.

Salvador thus emerged the first two-stage winner on the 10-leg circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. after the Davaoeño shotmaker topped the ICTSI-Sherwood Hills Classic last July.

After wresting the lead from Ababa with a 35 at the turn, Salvador birdied No. 11 to go 2-up then made a couple of scrambling pars to clinch the victory despite a final hole bogey.

Danny Zarate, winner at ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat, the kick-off leg of the P10 million circuit backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Pisanti, Srixon, FAMI, Business Mirror, Motorola, Omnisource, Nike Golf, Tiger Gatorade and Pepsico, also rallied with a three-under 69 to tie Richard Sinfuego, who shot a 70, in fourth at 212.

Ramil Bisera carded a 70 while Jun Bernis and Ruben Sasutil turned in identical 71s to share sixth place at 213 while unheralded Randy Garalde shot the day’s best score of six-under 66 to jump from out of nowhere to joint ninth with Fernando, who had a 71, at 214.