Tabuena, Pagunsan, Lascuña carry ph fight

Carmona, Cavite—Three of the country’s top four players will be in the Resorts World Manila Masters field that tees off today as the search for the $1 million Asian Tour event’s first Filipino winner continues.

Olympian Miguel Tabuena, former Order of Merit winner Juvic Pagunsan and the in-form Antonio Lascuña banner the Philippine side against the best par-busters in the continent as the 72-hole championship gets underway at well-manicured Manila Southwoods Masters here.

This will be the fourth edition of the country’s richest-ever pro event which no Filipino has come close to winning. Thailand’s Natipong Srithong is the defending champion,

But Tabuena, who is running sixth in the OOM, Pagunsan and Lascuña are tipped to crowd the region’s best for the title.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, but I hope that in the final round, we’ll (Filipinos) be there contending (for the title),” Tabuena, who finished in an 18th place tie with Angelo Que last year, said in a press conference yesterday.

Que, incidentally, is skipping the event as he tees off in the 200-million yen (around $1.93 million) Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters in Japan.

Pagunsan took a break from the Japan Tour to play here, while Lascuña has been pulverizing the Jack Nicklaus-created gem the past two weeks.

Lascuña simulated the tournament last week and turned in an eye-popping 26-under effort for four rounds.
He hopes to have the same luck he had on the greens like he did in his practice rounds.

“Whoever putts well this week will have a great chance,” Lascuña said in Filipino.

Mardan Mamat of Singapore, the 2014 champion and former Philippine Open winner, is also in the field.