Hot finish lifts Lascuña to 4-shot romp

ANTONIO Lascuña regained complete control with a barrage of birdies on the front nine and stormed to a four-stroke victory with a closing 5-under-par 67 yesterday in the ICTSI Pilipinas Invitational at the Legends course of the Manila Southwoods here.

The reigning back-to-back Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion captured his third straight championship this season with a 19-under total of 269 he set up with earlier rounds of 65-69-68 to seize his biggest purse of P650,000 this season.

Trailing Miguel Tabuena by one after 54 holes, Lascuña moved into a tie when the third round leader bogeyed the second hole then pulled away for good with four birdies on a six-hole stretch from No. 4.  He took a two-stroke lead going into the back nine and parred the rest of the way.

“My plan was to really attack early and it’s a good thing that I made those birdies so I virtually played pressure-free at the back,” said Lascuña in Filipino, also the winner at ICTSI Negros Occidental in Bacolod  and the Aboitiz Invitational at Riviera’s Couples course in Cavite.

Tabuena, who also won P3.5 million event after dominating the  ICTSI Manila Masters at Eastridge last June, settled for a 72 and claimed the P430,000 runner-up prize with a 15-under 273.

Cassius Casas, one shot behind Lascuña at the start of the round, faded early with a bogey on No. 4 and a double- bogey on No. 6 but fought back with three birdies in the last six holes to salvage third at 274 with a 71. He picked up P240,000.

Charles Hong, winner of the other P3.5 million event of the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. at Sherwood, and Arnold Villacencio rallied with identical 67s to tie Clyde Mondilla (70) and Anthony Fernando (72) at 276. They shared the combined P600,000 purse.

Mars Pucay also carded a 72 to finish eighth at 277 worth P100,000.