Obscure Nilo Salahog upstages big guns with 65

BACOLOD, Philippines — Nilo Salahog, who couldn’t even get past the cutoff line the last two months, now got past the top guns and took the coveted spot on top, wresting a one-stroke lead over Justin Quiban with a five-under 65 in the opener of the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Three birdies at his closing nine at the front capped an impressive start for a journeyman who had missed the cut in the first three tournaments of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour Asia and failed to advance at PGT’s Del Monte and Pueblo de Oro stops last month.

But the 32-year-old shotmaker from nearby Victorias found the Binitin course to his liking, his week-long training at the par-70 layout paying off – at least in the opener that saw him hit back-to-back birdies from No. 12 and negate a missed-green bogey on No. 16 with another birdie from close range on the next.

He actually found no need to use his driver on a hot, windy day at the tight, tree-lined layout, missing just two fairways and going out of regulation three times, saving all but one.

Despite his 33 start, Salahog, who limped at joint 43rd in the recent PGTA Forest Hills leg and finished tied for 10th at PGT Apo leg, stood in the middle of the stellar field but stormed ahead with his solid frontside windup as Quiban fell off the leaderboard with a last-hole bogey and settled for a 66.

“I just stayed focused on every hole. I didn’t go for aggressive play and kept my pre-game plan (fairway-green) while making the most of my birdie chances,” said Salahog, whose career best finish was fourth at PGT Forest Hills last year.

Jay Bayron, the PGTA winner at Southwoods, birdied the par-3 No. 18 to fire a 67 and lead the three-under scorers who included two other lesser lights – Johvanie Abaño and Paul Echavez – and the comebacking Clyde Mondilla.

The reigning PGT Order of Merit champion, whose game was on a downswing after emerging the top player in last year’s circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., finally turned in a kind of round expected from a player of his caliber  – a bogey-free 34-33 card.