Salvador guns for home win in Aboitiz Invit’l

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Local star Elmer Salvador seeks to pull off another conquest at home in the 2013 Aboitiz Invitational against a tough field bannered by the top-ranked players in the Asian Development Tour in the $65,000 event slated July 24-27 at the Cebu Country Club here.

Salvador, who defeated compatriot Tony Lascuna by six strokes last year, guns for back-to-back crowns in the 72-hole championship but faces stiff challenge from 125 rivals led by the Top 5 players in the ADT’s Order of Merit.

Jay Bayron, the reigning ADT OOM winner, is out to try to snatch the title away from the 43-year-old Davaoeño, as do high-ranking American James Bowen, English Grant Jackson, Scottish James Byrne and Japanese Mitsuhiko Hashizume.

Pinoy bets are also expected to contend in the tournament, a joint endeavor of Aboitiz Equity Ventures, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, with talented teenager Miguel Tabuena, former Asian Tour winner Artemio Murakami, ADT regular Carl Santos-Ocampo, and local bet Charles Hong in the fold.

Salvador is also bidding to get a slice of history as the first player to defend his title on the ADT, a feeder circuit for the Asian Tour.

“I’ve come close to winning on the Asian Tour and my victory last year at the Aboitiz Invitational gave me renewed confidence to try harder,” said Salvador.

The fourth edition of the Aboitiz Invitation was launched yesterday with Asian Tour’s Tour Operations director Jittisak Tamprasert, PGTI general manager Socorro Ventosa, VECO COO Sebastian Lacson, representing Aboitiz Group, Cebu CC GM Jeric Hechanova, and Santos-Ocampo and Hong in attendance.

Unlike the past three editions which were played on a par-71, this year’s Aboitiz golfest will have the participants tackling a par-72 as tournament officials decided to revert Hole No. 7 to par-5 from par-4 previously.

“Everybody needs to bring his A-game to this course,” said Hong, who is making a sentimental bid at Cebu CC, where he’s a two-time club titlist.

“This will be very special for me since I grew up playing golf here and most probably, this will be the last tournament I will play in this course in its present condition so I might as well take this opportunity,” said Hong of the course that’s slated to undergo renovation.

Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han, in a statement, expressed appreciation to Aboitiz for supporting the development of pro golf via its title sponsorship on the ADT.

“The ADT gas grown immensely over the past few years and it is largely due to the support we received from great sponsors like Aboitiz. We are thankful that Aboitiz is a strong advocate of the development of golf,” said Han.

For his part, Aboitiz Equity Ventures president and CEO Erramon Aboitiz said: “Consistent with our corporate value of teamwork, this collaboration has rewarded us with stronger bonds and equally unique camaraderie among business partners, colleagues and stakeholders.”

ICTSI chairman and CEO Enrique Razon Jr., stated: “ICTSI together with PGT is delighted with its partnership with the Asian Tour, ADT and Aboitiz Equity Ventures for the past three years. Together, we have been making strides in putting the Philippines back in the global golfing map.” The event also serves as the eighth leg of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour and will actually kick off back-to-back ADT legs with the ICTSI Classic slated July 31-Aug. 3 at Mt. Malarayat in Lipa, Batangas.