Lascuna shoots 63; Bayron keeps lead

LIPA CITY — Jay Bayron knocked in a tap-in birdie on the par-4 18th, sealing a second straight 67 yesterday and holding on a narrow one-point lead after three rounds of the ICTSI Summit Point Classic.

Breathing down his neck is Tony Lascuna who shot a 63, missing an eight-footer that on the final hole that would have tied for the lead with Bayron going into today’s final round at Summit Point golf club.

With a 17-under aggregate of 199 after 54 holes, Bayron could’ve easily pulled away from the pack but Lascuña, in a flight ahead of the last group, dished out a near-impeccable game under the lift-clean-place format.

His nine-under 63 — 200 put him well within his target of a third leg win after snapping a long season spell with victories at ICTSI Apo and ICTSI Classic last month.

“Tony is in top form. I need to shoot a 66 to win,” said Bayron, who has had a number of setbacks while disputing the crown with the reigning three-time ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion.

“If ever, this would be the first time Jay would beat me in the final flight,” said Lascuña, without sounding a bit pessimistic of his title chances in the 12th leg of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Behind solid driving and iron game and superb putting, Lascuña rattled off 10 birdies from close range after 16 holes and overcame a five-shot deficit to tie Bayron at 17-under. He actually surged ahead after Bayron failed to clear the bunker at the par-3 17th and failed to return an eight-footer for par.

But Lascuña also bogeyed the 195yard hole after his 5-iron tee shot rolled past the pin. Instead of putting from the fringe, he opted for a chip shot, the ball rolling past the hole and resting seven feet away. He missed.

“I could’ve putted from the fringe and settled for par,” rued Lascuña, who birdied the first two holes, strung up three straight from No. 4, rattled off another three-birdie string from No. 9, and gunned two more on Nos. 15 and 16.