Salvador ties Els in Macau Open, pockets P1.9M

MANILA, Philippines - Elmer Salvador rallied with a 66 to finish joint third while Tony Lascuña fought back with a 65 for a share of fifth in the Macau Open won by Aussie Scott Hend at the Macau Golf and Country Club course yesterday.

Salvador birdied four of the last 10 holes to close out with a five-under card and complete a run of under-par rounds in the 72-hole $800,000 championship. He opened with a 70 at the par-71 layout then added a 66 and a 70 for a 272 to tie former Major champion Ernie Els (67) at third, his best finish in an Asian Tour event in a long while.

Salvador won $45,200 (P1.9 million).

Lascuña sizzled on the final day after an opening hole bogey, birdying six of the next eight holes to make the turn at 30. The reigning ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour champion, however, slowed down at the back, settling for pars before birdying the par-5 18th for that 65.

He, however, succeeded in rallying from 16th to joint fifth with Japan’s Daisuke Kataoka (69) at 275 and took home $29,720 (P1.3 million).

Salvador and Lascuña’s strong showing thus underscored the Filipinos’ improved game and their ability to measure up to some of the world’s best.

Jay Bayron, meanwhile, failed to recover from a mediocre 71 in the third round after opening with 70 and 67 as he stumbled with a 74 and dropped from ninth to joint 22nd at 282.

Hend, who used an eight-under 63 in the third round to wrest control, gunned down three birdies at the front to stay on top then coasted to victory with two birdies against a bogey at the back for a 67 and a 268.

Indian Anibarn Lahiri shot the tournament-best nine-under 62 to jump from No. 12 to solo second at 271.