Que, Lascuña lead locals’ bid in Aboitiz Invitational

MANILA, Philippines - Three-time Asian Tour champion Angelo Que and reigning back-to-back ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner Tony Lascuña brace for a spirited chase for the Aboitiz Invitational crown against the best in the region when the Asian Development Tour leg is held Aug. 27-30 at the Riviera Golf and Country Club’s Couples course in Silang, Cavite.

Que, who finished runner-up to Elmer Salvador last year, hopes to cash in on home support and turn around a lackluster season so far. The former Philippine Open champion has finished outside the Top 20 on both the ADT and the premier Asian Tour since the start of the season.

“It’s always great to play at home where you have your friends and family coming out to support you. You feel motivated to do well,” said Que during Monday’s launch of the 14th leg of this year’s ADT, the feeder circuit of the Asian Tour, graced by Aboitiz senior vice president Ernest Villareal, Asian Tour’s director of Business Development Irfan Hamid, Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. general manager Colo Ventosa and Riviera’s golf superintendent Philip Ruiz.

With the Cebu Country Club, venue of the ADT event the last three years, set to undergo renovation, the sponsoring Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. has decided to move the event to Luzon with Riviera gaining the right to stage the premier tournament backed by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Aboitiz also raised the total prize money from $60,000 to $100,000, making it one of the richest events on the ADT calendar.

“The Aboitiz Invitational is one of the most highly anticipated tournaments on the ADT and on behalf of our players, I would like to express our fullest appreciation to Aboitiz and PGT for their continued support of professional golf in Asia,” said Hamid.

“We are glad to be able to provide a stage once again for the top and rising local shotmakers to compete against the international players on the ADT,” said Ventosa. “We are confident that the tournament will continue to grow in years to come and we look forward to another successful staging of the Aboitiz Invitational.”

Lascuña, meanwhile, has enjoyed a great season on the Asian Tour where he is currently at No. 8 in the OOM ranking on two Top 10 finishes. He has also claimed three victories on the local circuit this year and is looking to bring his good form into ADT when he takes up the challenge late this month.

“It has been a great season for me so far. I’m very pleased with how I have been performing,” said the 43-year-old Lascuña. “It’s not easy playing with the younger players. You need to keep up with your fitness to be able to compete with them. Hopefully, I can bank on my experience to secure my first ADT win at the Aboitiz Invitational.”