Salvador coasts to record 12-shot romp

TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite, Philippines  – Elmer Salvador ended a long wait for recognition in record fashion, routing his rivals with a four-under 68 and essaying a whopping 12-stroke romp over Mars Pucay and Artemio Murakami in the P1 million ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic at the Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Four ahead of Cassius Casas at the start of the final round, Salvador birdied the first three holes to settle the issue then coasted with three more birdies against two bogeys for a closing 32-36 card to post the most lopsided victory in the three-year circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Counting his earlier bogey-free rounds of 68 and 67, Salvador emerged as the only player to complete a run of under-par scores at one of the country’s toughest courses, winding up with an aggregate of 13-under 203.

“I’m happy to win again. I just thought that I needed a good start to put the pressure on them,” said Salvador, the 2009 Order of Merit champion who went on a scoring slump after topping the kickoff leg of last year’s circuit at Mt. Malarayat.

Salvador took the top purse of P200,000 and is expected to surge past Jay Bayron for the No. 2 spot in the OOM derby with three legs left in the 16-stage series sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. He can also unseat current OOM leader Juvic Pagunsan, who earlier registered the biggest margin of victory at four over him in completing a three-peat at ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational but is out for the rest of the season.

Pucay, who figured in a four-way tie with Salvador, Tony Lascuna and Gene Bondoc with a 68 in the first round, bogeyed the last two holes and stumbled with a 73, dropping into a tie for second with Murakami at 215.

Murakami, who sparked hopes of a big comeback from an opening 75 by firing the tournament-best 66 Friday, never recovered from a three-bogey string from No. 3 and limped home with a 74. He split the combined P185,000 prize with Pucay.

Casas, who vowed to go all out to foil Salvador and fan his own bid for a first win in 14 months, bowed out early with a horrible 9 on the par-4 after dumping two balls into the water hazard, shooting himself in the foot instead with a 77. He ended up tied for fourth with Bondoc, who matched par 72, at 216. They shared the combined P90,000 purse.

Michael Bibat took solo sixth with a 217 after a 73 worth P35,000 while Richard Sinfuego carded a 74 to finish seventh at 219 worth P30,000.

Benjie Magada shot a 73 while Gerald Rosales and Danny Zarate carded a 74 and 76, respectively, to share eighth place at 220.

With his pursuers fumbling with early bogeys, Salvador actually didn’t need a good start to outclass the field.

With Casas tumbling down with that 9 and Murakami reeling with three straight bogeys, Pucay made a bogey on No. 2, leaving Salvador all alone on top and the rest scrounging for the crumbs of a second place finish.

Salvador, the first player in a long while to complete a bogey-free stint through 36 holes, stretched his amazing run with three straight birdies before making his first bogey on the 41st hole when he failed to return a seven-footer after missing the green.

But he quickly recovered with back-to-back birdies from No. 8 for a 32, took his second bogey on No. 13 after again missing the green but recovered the stroke with an eight-foot birdie putt on the next.

“I had a good feel in this game. It could’ve been my second victory in three weeks had I won in Singapore,” said Salvador, referring to his six-hole playoff loss to Indian Himmat Rai in the Singapore Classic of the Asian Tour.

The 12th leg of the 16-stage circuit was 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.