Lascuña seizes control with 70
BINANGONAN, Rizal – Tony Lascuña pulled through with a gutsy two-under 70, grabbing a two-stroke lead over Dutch Guido Van der Valk halfway through the ICTSI Manila Masters at the Eastridge Golf Club here yesterday.
Erstwhile leaders Benjie Magada and Justin Quiban hobbled in another blustery day as Lascuña took charge with a near-impeccable short game and superb putting all day.
He gunned down four birdies, negating his bogeys on Nos. 4 and 17 to move from joint third to the top of the heap at five-under 139 heading to the final 36 holes of the P3 million tournament sponsored by ICTSI.
Magada and Quiban, who wrested control with 68s Wednesday lost their bids in the wind with Magada firing a 79-147 and Quiban a 74-142.
“I played relatively good. Everything’s in place, especially my putting,” said Lascuña.
However, Lascuña will face a pair of foreign rivals in the pivotal third round as Van der Valk, seeking a breakthrough on the Philippine Golf Tour, turned in a 69 to post the day’s best score for 141 and American Nicolas Paez settling for a 72 for joint third with Quiban.
“My putting was awful. I hit all the greens at the back but failed to hit a single birdie,” said Quiban, 21, who remained in the hunt for a maiden victory in the circuit backed by BDO, KZG, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Sharp, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and PLDT.
Veteran Cassius Casas carded a 71 to join American Josh Salah, who also shot a one-under card, at 143, while Frankie Miñoza also bounced back with a 71 to tie Jay Bayron, who matched par 72, Mhark Fernando, who made a 71 and Rene Menor, who struggled with a 73, at 144.
Young Japanese Genki Okada, who matched Lascuña’s opening 69, wavered in tough condition and skied to a 76 to fall to joint 11th with Elmer Salvador and Korean-American Micah Shin, who had 70 and 73, respectively.
Forty players made the cut at five-over 149 with Angelo Que and Clyde Mondilla, champions in the last two years, as the biggest casualties. The Japan PGA Tourbound Que, who won in 2015, faltered with a 79 off a bogeyriddled frontside 40 and ended up with a 79 for a 150 while Mondilla, who nipped Jobim Carlos in a playoff to snare the crown last year, also skied to a 79 and wound up with a 155.