Lascuña fires ace, shares Riviera lead

Antonio Lascuña fired an ace-spiked 2-under-par 69 yesterday to share the opening-round lead with reedy veteran Benjie Magada in the P1.5 million ICTSI Riviera Classic in Silang, Cavite.

Lascuña scored his fifth career hole-in-one on the 234-yard 12th hole with an 18-degree hybrid and capped off his round with his second birdie on No. 9, his last hole, for a 34-35 card that put him on track for a first win of the season.

Magada gunned down five birdies in his version of a 69 in his most impressive start in the last two years or so.

The co-leaders had a one-shot margin over Clyde Mondilla, Zannie Boy Gialon and unknown John Rey Pactolerin.

The wind-swept, winding layout showed its teeth early and allowed just a total of five sub-par cards with  another five, led by the ageless Frankie Miñoza, shooting level 71s to trail by just two.

Defending champion Elmer Salvador didn’t get the hot start that he wanted and trailed by three after a 72 like Jay Bayron, Miguel Ochoa, Keanu Jahns and former National Caddies’ Open champion Jessie Balasabas.

A big gun that struggled in the opening round was Miguel Tabuena, the Splendido leg winner who signed for a 73.

“I struggled with my putting, I was just lucky to score a hole-in-one early,” Lascuña said.

The reigning three-time Order of Merit winner has had a handful of top five finishes but has not been able to put it all together this season after winning five legs last year.

Magada opened up bogey-bogey before picking up five shots in his next 14 holes. He dropped his last shot on the 18th.