Lascuña now 2 up over Pagunsan

CALATAGAN, Batangas—Antonio Lascuña cooled off after a sizzling start but his 1-under-par 71 yesterday  still kept him in the lead by two strokes over Juvic Pagunsan going into the final round of the P1 million ICTSI Calatagan Challenge here.

The local tour’s top player last year hit the turn with a 33 and went nine under with a birdie on the 12th before dropping three strokes the rest of the way that left Lascuña with a 36-hole total of six-under 138.

Pagunsan, who trailed Lascuña by one with a 68 in the first round, bounced back from a shaky 37 on his front nine to match par 72 for 140.

Mars Pucay birdied two of the last six holes to salvage another 71 for a 142 aggregate that also put him in contention for the top P200,000 purse in the third leg of the 15-stage ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services Inc.

“I just lost my rhythm but it’s nice to be on top by two despite my shaky finish,” said Lascuña in Filipino, bracing for what looms to be a final round shootout with Pagunsan, the 2011 Asian Tour No. 1, in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Lascuña  drove out of bounds on the par-5 13th for a double bogey then flubbed a five-footer for par on 17th for a 38 coming home.

Backing the event are Nike Golf, Empire Golf and Sports Shop, Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, Foot Joy, Callaway, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers, Cleveland Golf and Sharp with Balls, Studio 23, Pinoygolfer.com and Inquirer Golf as media partners.