Salvador leads Pinoys’ charge in Macau golf

MANILA, Philippines - Elmer Salvador sizzled with a five-under 66 and charged to within one off Mohd Siddikur of Bangladesh midway through the Macau Open while Jay Bayron and Tony Lascuna crashed into the Top 10 with 67 and 68, respectively, as the Filipinos made their strongest charge yet in any Asian Tour event in years.

Salvador mixed solid driving with superb iron play and exceptional putting as he scorched the backside of the par-71 Macau Golf and Country Club layout with a four-under 32 spiked by four-birdie string from No. 12. He totaled a six-under 136 after 36 holes, forcing a tie with South African Ernie Els (65), Korean Baek Seuk-hyun (65) and erstwhile leader Ben Campbell of New Zealand (68) at second.

Siddikur matched Salvador’s 66 to move from fourth to the top of the $800,000 that also drew some of the world’s leading players.

Bayron, who matched Salvador’s opening 70, eagled the par-5 18th to go with three birdies against a bogey for that 67 as he joined Aussie Scott Barr (69) and Japanese Daisuke Kataoka (66) at sixth at 137.

Lascuna, the Philippines’ current No. 1 player, hit three straight birdies from No. 12 from where he started but bogeyed Nos. 17 and 18 before gunning down two birdies at the front for that 68. He had a 139 for joint 10th with Finland’s Kalle Samooja (71), Aussie Adam Groom (69) and Thai Thammanoon Sriroj (68).

“I drove the ball good which is important on this golf course,” said Salvador, who missed just three fairways. “I also had a fair share of good putts, including from 25 feet on No. 2. This is a very difficult course and you can’t make big mistakes.”