Magada catches leader in the rain

MANILA, Philippines - Tony Lascuña birdied the last hole from eight feet in heavy rain to salvage a one-under 71 but dropped to a share of the lead with a charging Benjie Magada in the second round of the P1 million ICTSI Orchard Golf Championship at The Orchard’s Player Course in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday.

Lascuña, one stroke ahead of Cassius Casas and three shots clear of Magada at the start of the round, threatened to pull away with a brilliant 32 at the front. But he wavered when the going got tough at the back, bogeying Nos. 13 and 14 then dropping two strokes on the par-4 16, enabling Casas and Magada to draw closer.

“I lost my rhythm when the wind started to blow hard at the back and then came the rain that I had to charge my putt on the 18th for that birdie,” said Lascuña in Filipino.

He wound up with a 39 for a 71 as Magada got a piece of the lead at seven-under 137 after a solid four-under 68 built around six birdies against two bogeys in the tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“There won’t be any special plan in the final round. I’ll just play my best and accept whatever the result would be,” said Magada, who spiked his opening 69 with an ace, in Filipino. “But it would be great if I get lucky.”

The 44-year-old Magada seeks to duplicate his feat in 2008 when he outlasted Lascuña in the final round to capture a leg title on the Malaysian tour.

Casas also feels that this is the right time for him to win again as he joins the joint leaders in the championship flight after assembling a six-under 138 with an eagle-spiked 71.

“I think it’s about time for me to start winning again,” said Casas, who used to dominate the local circuit but has struggled after winning the RP Open at Wack Wack in 2001.

Casas bucked a double-bogey mishap on No. 2 and a bogey on the next as he birdied No. 4 before birdying No. 8 and ramming in an eagle from seven feet on the ninth.

He went two-under with another birdie on No. 12 but fumbled with his second double bogey on No. 16 before knocking down another birdie on the 17th to stay just one shot off the joint leaders heading into the final round of the 54-hole tournament sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Jay Bayron rallied with a closing 34 for a 71 but stood three strokes adrift with a 140, the same output put in by younger brother Rufino Bayron, who also carded a 71.

Mars Pucay, winner of ICTSI Forest Hills, turned in a 71 and tied Jun Bernis, who also had a 71, at 141 while reigning RP Open champion and ICTSI Classic winner Elmer Salvador limped home with a 38 for a 72 to slip to joint eighth at 142 with Omar Dungca (71), Arnold Villacencio (70), Choi Moon Sik (72), Elmer Saban (72) and Jong Laput (73).

Juvic Pagunsan, winner at ICTSI Riviera, fought back with a 69 after a 74 but remained six strokes behind at 143 in a tie with Ronald Pactolerin, who had a 71.

Art Arbole emerged the top amateur with an even 144 after a 71 as erstwhile frontrunner Peter Villaber, who had a 69 in the opening round, skied to an 80 for a 149 and barely made the cut pegged at 150.

Angelo Que failed to rebound from an opening 72 as he reeled farther back with a 74 for a 146 in a tie with current Order of Merit leader and leg winners Artemio Murakami, who faltered with a 75.

The event, the seventh leg of the 13-stage circuit, is organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners Business Mirror, Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource.