Lascuna, Dumandan pace Northwoods golf with 65s

BULACAN, Philippines—Antonio Lascuña and Marvin Dumandan turned the Royal Northwoods layout upside down Wednesday by firing seven-under-par 65s for a two-stroke lead over Juvic Pagunsan in the ICTSI Golf Tour leg at the rolling layout.   Lascuña, who dropped five birdies in the back nine, and Dumandan both had nine birdies as they set the tone of a low-scoring day by equaling the course record set by Rey Pagunsan in finishing second to Ferdie Aunzo last year.   Lascuña, the best player yet to win a title in the fledging circuit, had two bogeys, while Dumandan, coming back from a long slump caused by a shoulder injury, signed for a double bogey 6 on the fourth for the only blemish in his 33-32 card.   Pagunsan, the hottest player on tour and the current Order of Merit leader, had a birdie-birdie start and was flawless in turning in a 67 even as a total of 22 players cracked par with the field having a heyday attacking the pins.   Benjie Magada, the winner at Orchard, put himself in contention again following a 68, with a group of four players that included Rey Pagunsan and reigning RP Open champion Elmer Salvador firing 69s to be just four shots behind.   “If I can putt the way I did today, I think I’ll have a chance,” the Asian Tour regular Lascuña said in Filipino. He needed just 28 putts in carving out his 34-31 card.   Dumandan, who won at Sherwood in Cavite last February, had one less putt than Lascuña as the former RP Team spearhead continued his return to form after finishing in the Top Five of the Aboitiz Cebu Country Club leg last month.   The 54-hole tournament is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource.   Jay Bayron, the winner in Cebu, was in the company of Mars Pucay and five others after shooting a 70 even as defending champion Aunzo, considering how low the field went, put himself in a huge hole with an opening 75.   Aunzo also opened up with a birdie on the par-5 first, but shot himself in the foot with a triple bogey 7 on the fourth for a 39-36.   The leading scores:
67—A. Lascuña 34-31, M. Dumandan 33-32; 67—J. Pagunsan 33-34; 68 – B. Magada 34-34; 69—R. Pagunsan 36-33, R. Joson (Am) 36-33, E. Salvador 35-34, R. Abaring 33-36; 70—C. Delos Santos 37-33, J. Bayron 37-33, D. Becierra (Am) 34-36, A. Fernando 35-35, G. Bondoc 35-35, E. Ababa 34-36, M. Pucay 33-37; 71—O. Dungca 37-34, D. Torres 35-36, N. Catalan 35-36, MS Choi (Kor) 34-37, C. La’O 34-37, R. Bayron 34-37, A. Asistio 33-38; 72—J. Lam 36-36, R. Sinfuego 36-36, J. Bernis 35-37, R. Cadayong 34-38, G. Rosales 34-38; 73—P. Villaber (Am) 39-34, V. Santia 38-35, E. Estrera 37-36, R. Marabe 36-37, C. Santos-Ocampo (Am) 36-37, J. Rates 36-37, C. Alferes 33-40.