Lascuña tops Malarayat golf pulling away
ANTONIO Lascuña flaunted his deadliest form yesterday and ran away with the P1.5 million ICTSI Classic, winning by six strokes over a trio of befuddled pursuers at the composite Mount Malarayat layout in Lipa City.
Ahead by one at the start of the day, Lascuña gunned down four birdies in the back nine to post a closing six-under-par 66 and turn what was deemed as a down-the-wire showdown for the crown into a one-sided finish.
Counting earlier rounds of 69, 70 and 68, Lascuña totaled 273 at the well-manicured Mounts Lobo and Malipunyo nines.
Clyde Mondilla (67), Jay Bayron (70) and Robert Pactolerin (71) shared second spot at 279.
“It is very nice to win in such a manner,” Lascuña said in Filipino after the awarding ceremony where his entire family was present. “This certainly gives me the confidence boost I need for next week.”
Lascuña will be leading the local challenge starting Aug. 5 in the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational of the Asian Development Tour at his home course in Southwoods.
Elmer Salvador, who won his all-Filipino Philippine Open on this same layout, rallied with a 67 to catch Orlan Sumcad, Albin Engino and amateur ace Jobim Carlos at 282.
Sumcad, the long-hitting club pro, shot a 68, with Engino turning in a 73 and Carlos shooting a 71.
“I like how I am playing of late,” said Lascuna, who also won three weeks ago in Davao at the Apo Golf Invitational, of his chances next week. “But there are a bunch of foreign players seeing action and it will be a wide-open event.”
Rey Pagunsan shot a 67 to finish solo ninth at 283, Anthony Fernando and Jhonnel Ababa each shot a 70 for joint 10th at 284 while Arnold Villacencio, the first round leader who moved within one after 54 holes of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., limped home with a 77 and tumbled to 12th at 285.
With the champion’s purse of P270,000, Lascuña moved past absentee Angelo Que for No. 2 in the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit ranking with total earnings of P1,724,060. Miguel Tabuena, who also skipped the event, remained on top with P1,795,256.
Other backers of the event were Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Callaway, Srixon, Mizuno, TaylorMade, Nike Golf, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Titleist, Rudy Project, Pacsports, Omnisource, Cleveland Golf, KZG, FootJoy, Silicon, Empire and Great Depot.
