Lascuña claims share of lead after fiery card

MANILA, Philippines - Tony Lascuña kept his form going through the new season, shooting a four-under 67 to forge a share of the lead with Singapore’s Mardan Mamat at the start of the Sabah Masters of the ASEAN PGA Tour in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia yesterday.

Lascuña, who dominated the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour with a runaway triumph in the final leg at Wack Wack last December, birdied two of the last five holes for a 33-34 card over the par-71 layout as he tied Mamat at the helm in the $75,000 championship serving as the final event of the circuit’s 2012-13 season.

The ace Davaoeño shotmaker, the top Filipino at No. 12 in last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit ranking, took charge of the elite field early with a three-birdie binge in a five-hole stretch from No. 3 but reeled back after flubbing a four-footer for par on the 11th.

But the local tour’s OOM winner and the Players’ Player of the Year awardee rebounded with birdies on Nos. 14 and 18 to force a two-way tie for the lead.

Mamat bucked an opening hole bogey with three birdies in the next five holes then hit three more birdies in the last 10 holes against a bogey for a 67.

The duo took a two-stroke lead over Danny Chia of Malaysia, Singapore’s Dengshan Koh, Thais Rattanon Wannasrichan and Somkiat Srisanga.

Marvin Dumandan and Rufino Bayron carded a pair of 70s for a share of seventh while Michael Bibat matched par 71 to tie Rory Hie of Singapore, Malaysian Chandran Siva, and Thais Piya Swangarunporn and Pasavee Lertvilai.