Lascuña captures ICTSI-Southwoods crown

TONY Lascuña hoists the trophy beside his daughter. GILBERT MERCADO/CONTRIBUTOR

CARMONA, Cavite—Antonio Lascuña closed out with a bogey-free five-under-par 67 and won the ICTSI Southwoods Championship by two shots over Angelo Que at the complex’ Masters course here.

Lascuña peeled away from Elmer Salvador before fending off Que to win for the second time in as many months counting his come-from-behind triumph at Eagle Ridge that actually snapped a four-year local drought.

Together with rounds of 69, 68 and 70, Lascuña tallied a 14-under-par 274 and has easily become the hottest player in the circuit. The victory was worth P450,000 out of the total pot of P2.5 million.

Que was charging hard, following up a course record 64 on Friday with a 66 but still fell short, his first two rounds of 74 and 72 putting him in too deep a hole. Still, the three-time Asian Tour winner bankrolled P320,000.

Que, who won the Philippine Open in 2008, came within a shot after birdieing the 11th, before Lascuña returned the favor in the next hole to right the ship and have a buffer for the day’s second rain delay.

Play resumed with Lascuña scoring routine pars in the next four holes, while Que had a critical bogey on the 13th to drop out of the fight.

Salvador, who either led or held a piece of the lead after the first three rounds, returned a 73 and finished third with a 280 tally even as Miguel Tabuena and Michael Bibat shared fourth.

The final scores:

274—A. Lascuna 69-68-70-67; 276—A. Que 74-72-64-66; 280—E. Salvador 65-71-71-73; 283—M. Tabuena 73-70-75-65, M. Bibat 66-79-72-66; 284—R. Bayron 71-71-71-71, M. Dumandan 68-74-70-72; 285—C. Mondilla 69-73-71-72; 286—E. Saban 75-69-72-70; 286—Z. Gialon 71-67-77-72; 288—M. Pucay 74-70-75-69, A. Fernando 70-75-68-75.