Salvador 4 clear; Casas rises to 2nd
SHERWOOD TILT
TRECE Martirez, Cavite—elmer Salvador fired a twounder-par 70 yesterday and saw his lead cut to just four by new pursuer Cassius Casas heading into the final round of the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Challenge here.
Salvador had six birdies against four bogeys for a 207 total in his quest to win this event for the second straight year.
Casas, a former Philippine Open winner like Salvador, birdied three of his last four holes for a 68 and vaulted into contention at 211, with Antonio Lascuña another shot back after a 69 in the Tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Junbernis (69), Chuckyhong (72) and the veteran Jay Bayron (74) are tied at even 216.
“I will try to play the way I have played the course in the first three days,” Salvador said in Filipino.
Teen prodigy Miguel Tabuena withdrew because of the flu at the start of the round. The Splendido leg winner in Tagaytay had shot 72 and 71 in the first two rounds.
Casas put himself in contention for the first time in two years since winning the Del Monte leg in Bukidnon when Salvador, Juvic Pagunsan and Richard Sinfuego were disqualified because of a final-hole infraction. The leading scores: 207—E. Salvador 6671-70; 211—C. Casas 7469-68; 212—A. Lascuña 72-71-69; 216—J. Bernis 79-68-69, C. Hong 73-7172, J. Bayron 68-74-74; 217—J. Rates 7871-68; 218—LJ Go (Am) 75-72-71; 219—Z. Gialon 71-71-77; 220—M. Fernando 76-75-69, R. Sasutil 76-74-70, M. Dumandan 74-75-71, C. Villaroman 73-74-73, J. Abdon (Am) 72-73-75; 221—R. Bayron 74-71-76; 222—R. Abaring 75-78-69, N. Catalan 73-78-71, G. Rosales 79-72-71, B. Magada 71-78-73.
Rosales ahead
MOBILE, Alabama—jennifer Rosales birdied five of the first seven holes on the back nine and finished with a 5-under 67 on Thursday in the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic for a share of the first-round lead with Katie Futcher, Lindsey Wright and Caroline Hedwall.
Rosales, the Filipino player who won the last of her two LPGA Tour titles in 2005, had a birdie and a bogey on the front nine before making her backnine move on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex. The event was her first of the year on the tour.