Salvador edges Que, keeps Aboitiz invit’l crown

CEBU, Philippines – Cautious majority of the way, Elmer Salvador hit two errant shots that nearly altered an ending he had worked hard to be his again.

But he watched Angelo Que’s eagle bid graze past the cup on the final hole then tapped in for bogey for a 69, pulling off a one-stroke escape for a second straight Aboitiz Invitational championship at the Cebu Country Club here yesterday.

The margin of victory didn’t actually reflect how Salvador dominated the field in the final round where he all but wrapped it all up when he went five-up on Que with a bogey-free frontside 32 in morning drizzle.

But Que, still three down heading to the 360-yard par 418th, put in a little dash of drama when he came through with a monster drive and a near-perfect approach shot from 90 yards that barely got past the hole.

Had it gone in and holed out with an eagle, it would’ve paved the way for a playoff as Salvador drove into the fairway bunker and missed the green and a downhill six-foot putt for par.

But Que settled for a birdie and a two-shot swing, enabling Salvador to retain the crown at 12-under 276 for another $11,375 (around P490,000), becoming the first player to repeat as champion on the four-year ADT serving as the feeder circuit to the Asian Tour. Salvador beat Tony Lascuña by six here last year.

Jay Bayron also ruled the first two editions of this event sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. in 2010. But the inaugural Aboitiz Invitational was still not part of the ADT calendar.

“My gameplan was to play it a bit cautious given a tough rival in Que and the playing condition. Kailangan talaga mag-ingat,” said Salvador.

It was in full display on No. 8 when after driving into a stymied lie, Salvador opted to play out away from the green instead of forcing it the other way around. He reached the green in three, some 30 feet away, and, as Que holed out with a bogey, Salvador made the putt.

‘I knew he would make it,” said Que in jest.

The former Philippine Open champion and three-time Asian Tour winner ended up with a 71 and a 277 and took the runner-up honors worth $7,475.

“You should be thankful I didn’t make that eagle. Otherwise we’d still be out in the fairway,” Que told Salvador, referring to that possible three-shot swing on the final hole.

“Not bad – one win, one second and one third,” said Que, who only rejoined the Philippine Golf Tour last May where he won the Orchard Championship. He also placed third to the Pueblo de Oro Championship won by Frankie Miñoza two weeks ago.

Carl Santos-Ocampo rallied with a 69 to snatch third place at 280 worth $4,450 while Englishman Ian Keenan shot a 71 and finished tied for fourth at 282 with Korean Park Il-Hwan and Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who both had 72s.

American Brian Locke, who led in the first round, fired a 69 for a 283 to tie Miguel Tabuena, who carded a 70, and Charles Hong, who turned in a 71, at seventh while seven players – Johvanie Abaño (68), Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela (69), Canadian Lindsay Renolds (70), Aussie Michael Moore (71), England’s Peter Richardson (71), Anthony Fernando (73) and Tony Lascuña (73), ended up tied for 10th at 284.

Bracing for a shootout with Que after yielding the halfway lead Friday, Salvador even fell by two after Que birdied the opening hole. But he rattled off four birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 3 to wrest control and set the stage for an impending blowout instead.

For while Salvador kept on hitting birdies, Que kept on making bogeys, dropping three strokes in the last five holes at the front to fall behind by five.

For Salvador, it was a matter of time before he could wrap up another championship although he somehow gave Que and the rest some room for a comeback with a shaky stint at the back.