Lascuña joint 16th as Salvador fades

MANILA, Philippines - Tony Lascuña rallied with a two-under 69 to salvage joint 16th place as Elmer Salvador skied with a 79 in the Queen’s Cup ruled by Thai Prayad Marksaeng at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Samui, Thailand yesterday.

Lascuña, the reigning No. 1 back home, birdied four of the last 13 holes to overcome a two-bogey mishap on Nos. 1 and 5 and finished with a 282, 12 strokes off Marksaeng, who fired a 67 and a 14-under 270 for a three-shot victory over compatriot Arnold Vongvanij, who carded a 69 and a 273.

Jay Bayron also closed out with a 69 and jumped from 46th for a share of 26th at 286.

Salvador, who stayed just three strokes behind in the first two rounds but reeled back with a so-so 72 Saturday, made an awful start of 42, marred by a triple-bogey on No. 2 and a double-bogey on the fourth. He dropped another shot on the par-5 eighth and made the turn at six-over.

Stung by his poor start, Salvador never recovered his bearing, fumbling with three more bogeys before holing out with a birdie on the 17th for a 37 and a 79. He wound up with 289 for a share of 44th.

Erstwhile leader Siddikur of Bangladesh cracked under final round pressure and hobbled with a 77, tumbling down to joint eighth at 279.

Marksaeng, a former Philippine Open champion, spiked his sterling final round charge with two eagles, the first on No. 8 that put him on top and the other on the other par-5 No. 18.