ANTONIO Lascuña will be playing right at home and looms as one of the two favorites along with Miguel Tabuena when the $80,000 ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship ADT tees off today at the Legends layout in Carmona, Cavite.
A member of the exclusive club, Lascuña knows every bump over the Robert Trent Jones layout that will not only require length off the tees but also a deft putting touch on the sleek greens.
The in-form Tabuena, on the other hand, has booked impressive finishes overseas after winning the Philippine Open last December.
Only a painful back kept the 21-year-old Tabuena from finishing the Luisita Championship won by Lascuña two weeks ago. He played bogey-free over 21 holes before calling it quits.
There will be former ADT leg winners in the field all raring to keep the title out of the hands of a Filipino.
Justin Quiban, the rookie pro who engaged Lascuña in a duel in the first three rounds in Tarlac, is also one man to watch.
Jobim Carlos also tries to bounce back after missing the cut in his first pro event at Luisita.
“It’s going to be tough with the talented field,” said Lascuña, who was dislodged by Tabuena as the local ICTSI Tour’s Order of Merit champion last season. “But I am ready.”