Elmer, Lascuña set pace after 67s

BUKIDNON , Philippines   â€“ Elmer Salvador and Tony Lascuña took the 1-2 posts with a pair of 67s they produced on opposite nines while Johvanie Abaño and Miguel Tabuena sizzled at the finish to stay in hunt after 36 holes of the P1 million ICTSI Del Monte Championship at Del Monte Golf Club here yesterday.

In a topsy-turvy round that saw erstwhile leader Richard Sinfuego and No. 2 Michael Bibat tumble with over-par scores, Salvador and Lascuña set up a duel between the Davaoeño aces who finished joint runners-up at ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic last week.

Salvador went on a birdie-spree at the front and shot an eagle-spiked 67 to storm ahead at 135, but Lascuña, who launched his bid at the back, put in his own version of a 67 to be just a shot off a 136.

Two young aces, however, stayed right behind the veteran shotmakers with Abaño flashing his local knowledge of the course he calls home, birdying three of the last four holes at the front to fire a 68 for a 137.

More impressive was Tabuena, who stayed out of the limelight with a mediocre 73 Wednesday but grabbed some piece of it when he went four-under in the last three holes, also at the front, including a closing eagle for a 31 and one of the day’s best 66.

Although he remained four shots off Salvador with a 139, Tabuena will be the player to watch in the second-to-last flight in today’s final round of the ICTSI-sponsored event although he will be up against icon Frankie Miñoza and two-day flightmate Jay Bayron.

Miñoza also rallied at the frontnine, hitting three birdies against a bogey to post a second straight 70 for a 140 in a tie with James Ryan Lam, who carded a 71. But the duo lay five strokes behind Salvador in this sixth leg of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Bayron matched Tabuena’s eagle finish and 66 to join Miñoza and Lam at fifth.

After a near-flawless opening 67, Sinfuego went on a roller-coaster ride with four bogeys and a double-bogey on No. 5, dropping to joint eighth with six others at 141, now six shots off Salvador.

Other 141 scorers were local bets Clyde Mondilla and Peter Miñoza, who had 69 and 71, respectively, Charles Hong, who matched par 72, and Korean Micah Shin, who turned in a 71.

Albin Engino fired a six-under card after 15 holes but bogeyed the last three holes at the front, finishing with a 69 and joining the 141 group along with Bibat.

The Palos Verdes winner who started the day just one shot behind Sinfuego birdied two of the last four holes at the front to salvage a 73 and join Sinfuego and company at eighth.

Salvador went on a birdie-spree at the front, hitting three straight from No. 4. Although he stumbled with a bogey on the 10th which he birdied the previous round, the 2010 Order of Merit champion of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour eagled the par-5 14th from 12 feet then birdied the 18th for the second straight day for a 33-34 card.

“I putted well today (yesterday) and I hope to sustain it tomorrow (today),” said Salvador in Filipino.

Lascuña, meanwhile, launched his bid at the back, settling for a run of pars in the first four holes before catching fire with four birdies in row, barely missing a fifth one on the par-5 18th.

The ICTSI Calatagan leg winner reeled back with a missed green bogey on No. 3 but struck back with birdies on the last two par-5s on Nos. 6 and 9 to finish with a 35-32.

“I had a chance on No. 18 for another birdie but I blew it again,” rued Lascuña, who had squandered another chance to gain at least a share of the lead with a flubbed birdie putt from close range.

Lascuña went straight to the practice green to polish his stroke, which he said will likely decide the winner in this sixth leg of the circuit backed by Nike Golf, Empire Golf and Sports Shop, Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, Foot Joy, Callaway, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers, Cleveland Golf and Sharp.

“We had clashed for the title a number of times before and the one who putts better always ends up the winner,” said Lascuña.