MANILA, Philippines - Elmer Salvador put on a fiery windup to shoot a three-under 68 and trail Malaysn Danny Chia and two others by three at the start of the Queen’s Cup at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Thailand yesterday.
Salvador, back in the hunt after missing two tournaments back home due to illness, birdied No. 16 and holed out with an eagle on the par-5 18th to finish with a 31 for that 68 at the 36-35 layout.
It was a rousing start for the reticent Filipino shotmaker, who missed the ICTSI Orchard Championship late last month and The Duel at Alabang last week, where his South team fell to North squad in a thrilling final day shootout.
But he made sure to put himself in early contention in the Asian Tour event, hitting two birdies against two bogeys after 15 holes before closing out with a birdie-par-eagle feat for solo fifth.
Chia, meanwhile, launched his title bid with a five-birdie string linking both nines, completing a 32-33 card for a 65 that put him alongside Japan’s Daisuke Kataoka and Jaakko Makitalo of Finland.
Bangladesh’s top player Siddikur stood at solo fourth with a 66.