Salvador confident, seeks 2nd title in row

MANILA, Philippines - Elmer Salvador will be the marked man but a host of others will be in hot pursuit of the second straight Asian Development Tour crown when the ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship fires off beginning today at the Orchard’s Palmer Course in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Salvador is all fired-up to nail the last of two ADT championships slated in the country this year, his confidence boosted by a six-shot romp over Tony Lascuña in last week’s Aboitiz Invitational Presented by ICTSI in Cebu.

“I feel good and confident of my chances at Orchard. But the field remains strong and anybody can win,” said Salvador in Filipino on the eve of the $60,000 tournament capping a two-week swing of top-notch golfing action.

Salvador underscored his readiness to go for back-to-back crown when he led his team composed of Arnel Paras, Tuan Nguyen and Deo Aguinaldo to victory in yesterday’s pro-am tournament with 55.

George Thacker of England and teammates JB Garcia, Cris Carreon and Marvin Caparros combined for 56 to finish second while Barr and amateur partners Oca Patricio, Eric Reyes and Gali Espiritu came in third with 57.

The entire Aboitiz field are all in the Orchard roster, including a strong international cast out to atone for its mediocre showing in Cebu, led by Korean Kim Gi-whan, who emerged the top finisher from among a slew of foreign bets at fifth.

But the likes of England’s Peter Richardson and Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Australians Ryan Bulloch, Luke Bleumink and Barr along with Singapore’s Quincy Quek and Lam Zhi Qun, Aussies Unho Park and Glenn Joyner, and Koreans Young Nam and Park Il-hwan are all expected to figure in the title race in the 72-hole championship put up by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

They will, however, tackle a course made tougher and longer by the recent rains, guaranteeing a wide-open battle for the top $10,465 purse in the tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“It’s anybody’s race, the course is soggy, making it longer than usual,” said Lascuña, out to redeem himself from a final round fold-up in Cebu where he struggled with a closing birdie-less 76 and got blown away by Salvador.

“I’m always in top condition. I always practice rain or shine and take each tournament in a positive way,” said Lascuña, who still leads Salvador in the local Order of Merit derby heading to the 11th leg of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.

Juvic Pagunsan, who fired a record 63 in the final round to beat Salvador and Lascuña here last year, has begged off to compete in the Kansai Open in Osaka on the Japan PGA Tour also slated this week.

Jay Bayron, who surged ahead of the ADT OOM ranking despite a failed title-retention bid at Aboitiz, is also tipped to come out strong along with local aces Mars Pucay, Angelo Que, Miguel Tabuena, Marvin Dumandan, Elmer Saban, Clyde Mondilla and Richard Sinfuego.

Other backers of the event are Empire Golf, Titleist, Footjoy, Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno, Srixon, Nike Golf, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp with Balls, Studio 23, Pinoygolfer.com and Inquirer Golf.