Lascuña grabs 2-shot buffer

SILANG, Cavite—Antonio Lascuña fired a solid five-under-par 67 yesterday to seize a two-shot lead over Angelo Que and Thailand’s Pijit Petchkasem and move on the cusp of his first Aboitiz Invitational crown at The Riviera’s Couples course.

As erstwhile leader Brett Munson struggled to a level 72 and fell four shots off the pace, Lascuña picked up five shots on the first 12 holes on the way to a 54-hole total of 202.

Que and Petchkasem shot identical 68s for 204.

Lascuña started the day tied with Jhonnel Ababa, just a shot off the American Munson, but surged ahead with three birdies going out.

The country’s hottest pro shot two more birdies back-to-back from No. 11 before ending his no-bogey string after 48 holes with a three-putt on the next. His sixth birdie of the day on No. 16 made sure he had a better buffer against the field.

Ababa limped home with a paltry 75 on nines of 37-38 and slipped to joint 10th with Scotland’s James Byrne, the winner of last week’s Asian Development Tour leg in Jakarta, who slowed to a 71 after a sizzling 64 Thursday.

Que matched pace with Lascuña early with three birdies on the front nine but settled for pars on the last six holes.

Petchkasem birdied three of the last six holes and caught Que at second spot in the tournament co-staged by the ADT and the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

“I have been hitting it well off the tee,” said the 43-year-old Lascuña, who also moved closer to a first ADT title. “It’s the key to my game, but I don’t want to think about winning yet. I just want to concentrate on my game (today).”

Rattanon Wannasrichan, also of Thailand, picked up three shots on the last four holes for a 67 and lay just three strokes off Lascuña at 205 in the $100,000 event sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and backed by International Container Terminal Services Inc.

Nils Floren of Sweden turned in the day’s best score—a bogey-free 66—to climb to solo sixth at 207, while teenager Miguel Tabuena rallied with three birdies at the back for a 70 at 209, in a tie for seventh with Taiwan’s Hsieh Tung-shu (67), and Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (73).

Que pitched in from 20 yards for birdie to start his round. But a slow back nine, where he picked up just a shot and saved pars on the last three holes after missing the greens successively, thwarted his rally.

“Maybe I got a bit tired in the end,” said Que. “I’m excited to be in Lascuña’s flight again.”

The winner picks up the lion’s share of $17,500 (about P763,000) from the total prize pot. Steve Silva, Inquirer Golf