Phl pros stay on top; Aussies tumble down

CEBU, Philippines  – Tony Lascuna and Elmer Salvador knocked Australian rivals Scott Barr and Unho Park off the leaderboard with a pair of gutsy 71s at the surprisingly tough Cebu Country Club layout even as defending champion Jay Bayron moved into contention halfway through the $65,000 Aboitiz Invitational Presented by ICTSI here yesterday.

Lascuna failed to sustain a birdie-birdie start with a scrambling round of two more birdies against four bogeys, the last at the difficult par-4 17th that dropped him into a tie with Salvador at two-under 140, two-up on Bayron, who took solo third despite a second straight even par 71 in sweltering heat.

Barr and Park, who shared the first round lead with the two local aces, fell when the going got tough at the back with the former skidding with four bogeys in the last five holes for a three-over 74. He slid to joint fourth with Jerson Balasabas and Ebarra Quiachon at 143.

After an eagle-spiked 69 start, Park skied to a double-bogey-riddled 77 as he tumbled from joint first to a share of 13th at 146, six strokes off the joint leaders in the four-day championship sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc.

Salvador took advantage of an early tee-time and shot a second straight 34 at the back and threatened to pull away with a five-under overall with a birdie on No. 1. But the ICTSI Sherwood Hills leg winner uncharacteristically dropped three strokes on the par 5 No. 2, considered a birdie-hole for the elite field, and closed out with a 37 for a 71.

Bayron, who beat Marvin Dumandan by five here last year and winner of the ADT Challenge in Jakarta last month, recovered from a shaky backside start of 37 with a 34 as he turned in another 71 and remained in the hunt for back-to-back crown – and third straight – at 142.

Balasabas, who blew a superb 32 opening at the front Wednesday and hobbled home with a 73, rebounded with an impressive 33 at the back yesterday only to waver with two bogeys coming home for a 70 for joint fourth.

The unheralded Quiachon, who placed eighth here last year but made just three cuts in eight legs of this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, pressed Lascuna and Salvador for the lead after 14 holes but reeled back with four straight bogeys and finished with a 72.

Randy Garalde, one of the lesser fancied bets in the event put up by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., also matched par 71 and moved to solo seventh at 144 while Aussie Greg Moss, ICTSI Iloilo leg winner Mars Pucay (72), Richard Sinfuego (75) and Michael Bibat (71) posted similar 145s.

Fifty-three players made the cut at a high 151 with three of the fancied locals barely making it to the final 36 holes of the event serving as the seventh leg of the Asian Development Tour and ninth stage of the local circuit. Angelo Que shot a 72 while Frankie Miñoza made a second 75 for 150 in the group of ADT Order of Merit leader Ryan Bulloch of Australia, who struggled with a 78, while Miguel Tabuena struck back from a woeful 79 with a 72 for a 151.

Englishman Peter Richardson, winner of the third ADT leg in Malaysia last May, shot the day’s best score of 69 to tie Park in 12th at 146 along with Ferdie Aunzo (73), Zanie Boy Gialon (72), Charles Hong (76), Clyde Mondilla (76), Joenard Rates (74), Elmer Saban (71), Dutch Guido Van der Valk (71) and Scot George Thacker.

Other backers of the event, also serving as the ninth leg of the ICTSI PGT, are Empire Golf, Titleist, Footjoy, Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno, Srixon, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp with Balls, Studio 23, Pinoygolfer.com and Inquirer Golf as media partners.