Elmer forces three-way tie; Bernis falters

LIPA City, Batangas, Philippines – Elmer Salvador is back at a familiar place and a familiar face is back in record fashion.

Recalling the form that won him the Philippine Open crown at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club here last year, Salvador shot an eagle-aided five-under 67 to force a three-way tie for the lead with fellow Davaoeños Ferdie Aunzo and Jay Bayron in the second round of the P1 million ICTSI Classic yesterday.

Salvador, who humbled the country’s finest players to capture the RP Open plum last December and cap a brilliant season that included two victories on the Philippine Golf Tour, holed out with an eagle on the par-5 ninth to highlight his 33-34 round in a day of torrid scoring.

Earlier, Aunzo took advantage of a wind-less morning flight to shoot a six-under 66, also highlighted by a tap-in eagle on the reachable No. 9, as he joined Salvador at the helm at 137.

That was the same output put in by Bayron, whose solid 66 was bested at dusk by Jun Bernis in the first round, as he carded a 71 for a three-way logjam on top, ensuring a shootout for the top P200,000 purse in this 54-hole event, the second leg of a 12-stage circuit organized by the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

The troika took a two-shot lead over Bernis, Benjie Magada and Orlan Sumcad and stood three clear of Mars Pucay and unheralded Arnold Villacencio and four ahead of Tony Lascuña, Rey Pagunsan, Marvin Dumandan and Elmer Saban and amateur Jhonnel Ababa.

The day also belonged to a fancied player who played worse than an amateur in the first round.

Written off after an uncharacteristic 12-over 84 in the first round, Juvic Pagunsan bounced back in style, firing a record-setting eight-under par 64 at the Mt. Lubo-Mt. Malinpuyo nines to leapfrog from the bottom of the starting 96-player field to joint 32nd.

Although he remained too far behind the three leaders at 148, Pagunsan nevertheless erased the previous best marks of 65 dished out by Mars Pucay and Angelo Que on the adjacent layouts during the Asean Tour in 2007 which Bernis matched in the first round.

Bernis, who upstaged the fancied pros with an eagle-spiked 65 in late afternoon Tuesday, ironically struggled in the morning session, fumbling with four bogeys in a 12-hole stretch against two birdies, including on No. 18. He slid to joint fourth with Magada and Sumcad at 139.

Magada fired three birdies at the back but scrambled with a 37 coming home at the frontside for a 70 while the power-hitting Sumcad turned in a solid six-under 66 as they stayed in the hunt for their first crown in the circuit put up by ICTSI and backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV and Golf Punk.

Lascuña shot a 70, Rey Pagunsan made a 71, Dumandan carded a 72 and Saban fumbled with a 73 to join Ababa, who fired an impressive 67, at 141.

Also making it to the final round were Michael Bibat and Cookie La’O, who both carded second straight 71s for a 142s while amateur Dante Becierra matched par 72 for a 143 in a tie with Marlon Dizon (73), Ramil Bisera (71) and defending champion Danny Zarate (72).

Others who made the cut at 151 were Artemio Murakami (73-145), Frankie Miñoza (74-148) and Jerome Delariarte (78-150) while amateurs Dante Becierra (72-143), Mhark Fernando (68-145), Jan Tambogon (73-146), Art Arbole (72-146), Rufino Bayron (75-147), Miguel Tabuena (72-148), Sonny Villaber (77-148), Jerson Balasabas (74-149), Zanie Boy Gialon (76-150) and Alvin Engino (75-151) also made it to the final day.