Elmer Salvador had a costly bogey on hole no. 17 and finished with a third consecutive score of 71 to fall into a tie with American Jonathan Moore even as Jay Bayron and Tony Lascuna lurk close behind after the third round of the $65,000 Aboitiz Invitational at the Cebu Country Club in Banilad yesterday.
Salvador tried to widen the gap with consecutive birdies on the front nine but lost his touch, paving the way for an exciting final round, which will determine who will go home with the $11,375 purse.
In stark contrast, Moore got better as the day went on as he closed with a 33 for an even-par score of 70 to catch up with Salvador with a 213.
Moore is looking for his second straight crown on the Asian Development Tour after winning the Impian Classic in Malaysia several months back.
Bayron also liked his chances as he bounced back with a 69 for a 214, fanning his own bid to defend the crown he won last year when the event, sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, debuted on the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour.
Jay’s brother Rufino also made his move with a second straight 71 to seize solo fourth at 215, just two strokes behind the joint leaders heading to the last 18 holes of the event.
Rufino actually won a pro tournament as an amateur in 2009 at ICTSI-Valley Golf Challenge, but remained winless, finishing joint eighth in the last Philippine Open.
Like Salvador, he birdied the first two holes but struggled the rest of the way, making three bogeys while salvaging two pars in the last five holes for that 71.
Focus will also be on Lascuna, who moved within three at 216 after posting the tournament’s best score of two-under 68. He could’ve joined Jay Bayron in third but bogeyed two of the last four holes and slid to joint fifth with four others.