Ababa seizes 2-shot lead as Salvador falters
JHONNEL ABABA tamed the wind at the back and battled back from three down with a two- under 70 then watched Elmer Salvador crumble in a gusty finish to grab a two-stroke lead in the third round of the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Invitational at the Aoki course in Gen. Trias, Cavite on Friday.
Tied with his fellow Davaoeno wavered in tough condition and lost his halfway through the $100,000 event, putting touch, bogeying No. 12 then failAbaba fell by three as the former hit ing to recover and fumbled with those three birdies in a five-hole stretch closing birdies. He turned in a second from No. 6 but the latter struck back straight 72 and dropped to second at 211. with a third straight birdie on No. “My putting went off at the back and 12 then made a tap-in on the par-5 it was tough out there with the strong 16th to draw level. wind,” rued Salvador, who looked
He played through the wind in the headed for an explosive round after last two holes and came up with pars, birdying Nos. 6 and 10, both for the including a bunker-save on the 17th, third time, that sandwiched his other while Salvador came in ruffled by the birdie feat on No. 8. gusts, missed the last two greens and Justin Quiban, who moved within made bogeys, enabling Ababa to seize two of the erstwhile leaders with a 69 control at 209, moving 18 holes away Thursday, stayed within striking disfrom snapping a long title spell and jointance despite a run of pars after seven ing the elite Filipino circle of winners on holes. But the recent CAT Open winthe inaugural Philippine Golf Tour Asia. ner at Luisita triple-bogeyed No. 8 and
“The wind was strong and blowing limped at the back with a38, finishfrom all direction so I just played it ing with a horrible 77 to slip to joint through and went for pars,” said Ababa, sixth at 218 with Tony Lascuña and who after an even 36 at the front birdied Thai Tommy Mansuwan, who also No. 12 for the third straight day then hobbled in exacting condition that barely missed an eagle on the 16th. saw only three players break par with
In contrast, Salvador, after a strong start, 74 and 75, respectively.
That reduced the battle for the top $17,500 purse in the sixth leg of the PGT Asia put up by ICTSI to Ababa and Salvador as the now third-running Joenard Rates, runner- up to Quiban at Luisita, lay four strokes off Ababa at 213 after a 71.
Charles Hong and Keanu Jahns both carded 75s for joint fourth at 217 while the rest of the surviving 54-player field stood too far behind to pose a threat in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Obscure Erwin Arcillas fired a 70 to tie Frankie Minoza and Ira Alido, who both shot 74s, at 219 while Indonesia Jordan Irawan (78), Korean Lee Jae Won (76), Thai Pasavee Lertvilai (74) and Arnold Villacencio (76) pooled identical 220s in the event event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.