Lascuña, Superal gun for sweeps

Antonio Lascuña: Langer is a different challenge.

Antonio Lascuña tees it up in the Philippine Golf Tour’s (PGT) Langer leg at Riviera on Tuesday, shooting to sweep the two-leg restart of pro golf in the country, which will also signal his readiness to take his act to the Japan Senior Tour next year.

The winner at the adjacent Couples layout three weeks ago against basically the same field, Lascuña sets out as one of the favorites over a layout that will be much longer and more demanding.

“It will be an entirely different tournament,” Lascuña told the Inquirer after practice at Manila Southwoods over the weekend. “The Langer is a lot tougher, but for as long as my knees hold up, I will have a chance.”

Angelo Que and Miguel Tabuena are also entered, with Que having some sort of momentum heading to Langer after a strong final two rounds at Couples where he finished well inside the Top 10.

“I certainly have more feel [going to the Langer leg],” Que, the former Philippine Open champion, said before a practice round at Southwoods’ Legends course last week where he carried his bag. Players this week—all but six of them—won’t have caddies as part of the strict safety protocols inside the PGT bubble.

Lascuña turns 50 a day after Christmas and admitted that he will try his luck in Japan where the prize money is a lot higher, and another win will certainly prop up his confidence.

Also looking for a sweep is Princess Superal, the runaway winner at Couples as she tries to hold off the same compact field led by Abby Arevalo in a 54-hole ladies tournament that ends on Thursday.

“I’m excited for the chance [to go for a sweep],” said Superal, who beat Arevalo by five at Couples. “I’m ready and I feel good—game-wise and on the mental side. Besides I always give my best shot in every tournament.”

Arevalo, the former San Jose State University spearhead who will return to the United States next week to start preparing for the Japan LPGA Qualifying, is expected to make the ladies event a lot closer this time after having had more time to prepare.

The 21-year-old Arevalo also has fond memories of Langer, where she beat Pauline del Rosario in an LPGT leg as an amateur three years ago.