Hot Lascuña fires 65 for 2-shot lead

Antonio Lascuña gunned down three straight birdies on his homeward nine to shoot a 7-under-par 65 yesterday and grab a two-stroke lead  at the start of the P3.5 million ICTSI Pilipinas Invitational at Manila Southwoods’ Legends course in Carmona, Cavite.

After a poor start on the back nine where he got going, Lascuña birdied 17 and 18 for a 33 then went birdie-birdie-birdie from No. 6 for a 32 that boosted him ahead of Marvin Dumandan,  who birdied two of his last four holes for 67.

“I had a rather wobbly start, missed a five-footer for birdie on No. 11 and bogeyed No. 12. But I was able to get my rhythm back,” said Lascuña, seeking a follow-up to his three-shot victory over Angelo Que in  the Aboitiz Invitational co-staged by the Asian Development Tour and the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. at Riviera last week.

Cassius Casas, who tied for 20th in Aboitiz, birdied three of his first four holes then cooled to finish with a 68 in this third of four P3.5 million championships  sponsored by International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Jay Bayron, on a slump since snatching the crown in the kick-off leg of this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour at Splendido, and unfancied Keanu Jahns also fired 68s while Anthony Fernando flashed his familiarity with the layout he calls home and turned in a 69 like Mars Pucay, Elmer Saban and Miguel Tabuena.

Pucay, an Asian Tour regular also trying to end a long victory drought on the local circuit, also gunned down four birdies against a bogey, while Saban bogeyed the par-3 16th and missed joining the third group.

Tabuena, who routed a stellar field in the Manila Masters at Eastridge last June, rebounded from a so-so- 36 at the back with three birdies coming home to put himself in contention for the top P650,000 purse.