Salvador joint 4th in Macau Open

MANILA, Philippines - Elmer Salvador struggled with a bogey-par-bogey-par-bogey start and needed to make a charge later to salvage a one-under-par 70 and stay among the frontrunners after the penultimate round of the Venetian Macau Open at the Macau Golf and Country Club course yesterday.

Salvador holed out with a birdie as he finally went one under in the day and seven under after 54 holes, five strokes off Australian Scott Hend who zoomed to the top after a sizzling eight-under 63 for a 12-under 201 total.

With two 70s and a 66, Salvador moved two rungs down to joint fourth with Indian Rahil Gangjee (66), Japanese Daisuke Kataoka (69) and Korean Baek Seuk-hyun (70).

Overnight leader Mohd Siddikur of Bangladesh also submitted a 70 and slid to joint second with Ernie Els at eight-under 205.

Jay Bayron kept his place in the Top 10 after an even-par 71 while another Filipino, Antonio Lascuna, was at joint 16th after a 71 for 210 in the $800,000 event.

Hend surged ahead and seized a four-shot lead over Els and Siddikur after an eagle-aided round also marked by seven birdies against a lone bogey. He  had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch from the par-4 seventh.

Els stayed at second after an up-and-down 69.