Lascuña pads lead to 6 with a fiery 64

SHARP all around, Antonio Lascuña fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 yesterday and threatened to blow the field away with a six-shot lead halfway through the P2-million ICTSI Forest Hills Invitational in Antipolo City.

Lascuña, the former three-time Order of Merit champion and this season’s two-leg winner, smoked the up-and-down course with brilliant driving, approaches and putting for a 129 total and an imposing lead over Michael Bibat.

Bibat returned a 68 for 135, three shots ahead of Jay Bayron and Marvin Dumandan, who fired a 69 and 70, respectively.

Clyde Mondilla, tipped to slug it out with Lascuña for a third title this season, skied to a 73 to be 11 shots behind. He would need a truly outstanding round today to figure in the championship chase tomorrow.

“I’m just lucky that my entire game came together today,” said Lascuña, the Luisita and Eagle Ridge champion who shot a 65 on Wednesday. “But there are still two rounds left to be played.”

Bibat had five birdies against two bogeys.

Mars Pucay, who won the last time the Tour stopped at this layout in 2010, assembled a 69 to tie Mondilla. Musong R. Castillo