Wild finish looms as Lam forces 3-way tie with 67

TARLAC  , Philippines  —  As James Ryan Lam forced a three-way tie for the lead with Jack Sullivan and Jobim Carlos with a gutsy 67, and Elmer Salvador stayed just a stroke adrift and 11 others stood another shot or two behind, expect the unexpected in today’s final round of the CAT (Central Azucarera de Tarlac) Open at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here.

Lam sizzled early then checked an impending backside slide with two clutch birdies, the last a bending 28-footer on the 18th that spiked his day’s best 33-34 card and put him in joint lead at 206 with Sullivan, who shot a 69, and Carlos, who blew an overnight two-stroke lead but still kept a share of it with a 71 after three grinding rounds of battle in sweltering heat in the sixth leg of the second season of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia.

Winless in nine years but with four runner-up finishes, including at PGT Del Monte last June, Lam hopes to finally nail it today in a final round skirmish that has all the trimmings of a thrilling finish.

“I’ll just play my usual game and see what happens tomorrow (today),” said Lam, who charged back from four down with five birdies after 12 holes, fell behind with back-to-back bogeys from No. 13 but rebounded with birdies on Nos. 16 and 18.

But it will take more than resiliency for the 30-year-old Lam to overcome the odds and hurdle rivals all focused to claim the crown worth $17,500.

Salvador, for one, rediscovered his form and regained the lead with a solid five-under card after 10 holes, dropped back with a missed green bogey on No. 11 and a three-putt miscue on the 13th and settled for pars the rest of the way.

“I was playing solid but made two bogeys at the back and never recovered,” rued Salvador, whose 69 still kept him within striking distance at 207.