Lascuña coasts to 4-shot win

ANTONIO Lascuña put an anticlimactic ending to the P3.5 million ICTSI Luisita Championship Saturday by breaking away from the field right on the front nine then coasted to his first title of the season.

The 43-year-old from Davao, locked in a tie after the previous two rounds with rookie Justin Quiban and ahead of the field by just a shot at the start of the day, gunned down an eagle and six birdies in closing out with a seven-under-par 65 for 272 to win by four shots over South Korea’s Park Jun-hyeok in Tarlac.

It was sweet redemption for the affable pro out of Southwoods, who bungled a four-shot lead in the season-opening Anvaya Cove leg seven weeks ago. The win also showed his readiness to reclaim the Order of Merit title this early.
“My putting was pretty good and it was the key to my victory,” said Lascuña.

Park also carved out a 65, like Angelo Que, who came out from the bottom half of the top 10 to claim share third with Quiban at 278.

Quiban, the former Southwoods stalwart in the PAL Interclub, had the last of his five birdies on the 18th to salvage a 71 and complete an auspicious pro debut.

Toru Nakajima, the Japanese who started the final day just a shot off Quiban and Lascuña, struggled to a 73 for 281, with brothers Jay and Rufino Bayron shooting 67s for 282.

Orlan Sumcad and former National Caddies’ Open champion Jessie Balasabas fired 71s for 283, with obscure Albin Engino rounding out the top 10 at 285 after a 73.

Lascuña broke out of the gates hard and never let anyone catch up, birdieing the par-4 opening hole before picking up four shots in a three-hole stretch from No. 3 after going birdie-birdie-eagle. It was all over but the shouting from there as he picked up another birdie on No. 7 for a 30 coming out.