Veteran pro Elmer Salvador rebounded from a dismal start to fire a sizzling 3 under par 69 on Wednesday and moved inside the elite ten halfway through the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Q-School at Splendido Taal in Tagaytay.
Toru Nakajima took command with a gutsy 70 in blustery conditions, building a two-stroke lead over erstwhile leader U Minn Woon and four others.
Nakajima used a hot backside start to recover from an opening 73, birdying the par-5 Nos. 10 and 11 then picking up another stroke on No. 3 while bucking the strong winds.
He fumbled with a bogey on No. 5 for a 36-34, but still seized the solo lead at 143, towing 50 others to the final two rounds of the 72-hole eliminations offering 35 cards for this year’s PGT.
The comebacking Salvador made the biggest jump of the day, rattling off four birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 2 on his way home to match Woon’s best 69 Tuesday.
From the brink with an opening 80, Salvador moved to joint ninth at 149 with Josh Jorge, who carded a 75.
Woon, who opened with a two-shot lead over Nilo Salahog, actually tried to pull away with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6. But just when thought he had the firm and dry Splendido layout all figured out, he lost his rhythm and touch in high winds, bogeying Nos. 8 and 9, yielding more strokes on Nos. 12 and 14 and dropping two shots on the par-3 No. 17.
The 28-year-old Malaysian, who vied at home before competing here and will fly to Thailand next week, skied to a 76 and fell into a tie for second at 145 with Gab Manotoc, Russell Bautista, Salahog and Korean Hyun Ho Rho.
Manotoc, a former SEA Games national team member, rebounded from a 74 with a 71, anchoring his fightback with a closing frontside 35 marked by three birdies against two bogeys.
Bautista bucked a two-bogey mishap at the front with three straight birdies from No. 10. But the 22-year-old bidder from Mactan, Cebu wavered with two bogeys against a birdie in the last five holes to settle for a 72.
Rho, who turned pro in Europe last year but who now calls Mount Malarayat his home, mixed two birdies with the same number of bogeys for a 72, while Salahog stumbled with four bogeys against two birdies and limped with a 74.
Others who advanced in the elims organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. were Japanese Gen Nagai, Hong Kong’s Michael Wong (73-148), and amateurs Jonas Magcalayo and Leandro Bagtas, who pooled identical 150s after 73 and 75, respectively, for joint 11th with Rene Menor and Carlos Packing, who shot 77 and 78, respectively.
Also in the hunt are amateur Kristoffer Arevalo (74-152), Ferdie Aunzo (77-152), Robert Pactolerin (77-152), Elee Bisera (73-153), Ivan Monsalve (75-153), Japanese Atsushi Ueda (76-153), Korean Lee Song (76-155), Rey Pagunsan (80-159) and amateur Coby Rolida (82-159).
Mark Alcazar and Mhark Fernando, who matched 82s, and amateur Christopher Popp, who carded an 81, tied for 49th at 161 but will need to go low to contend for the top 35 for Category 6 berths.
