Lascuña edges closer to first ADT win

SILANG, Cavite, Philippines  – Tony Lascuña stumbled with his first bogey after 48 holes but the three-putt miscue didn’t stop the ace Filipino shotmaker from moving into the threshold of a breakthrough victory on the Asian Development Tour.

The in-form Lascuña outgunned erstwhile leader Brett Munson of the US and compatriot Jhonnel Ababa in a frontside shootout with a 33 then went on to grab a two-stroke lead with a five-under 67 in the third round of the $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational at the Riviera Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Faced with a tough, uphill birdie putt from about 12 feet on the final hole, Lascuña cracked and misread the allowance, the final par giving him a 67 for a 54-hole haul of 14-under 202, two strokes ahead of Que and Petchkasem, who turned in identical four-under 68s for 204s in another day of low scoring at the Couples layout.

After a 33 coming out, Lascuña hit two more birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 but ended his bogey-free run after 48 holes after three-putting the par-4 No. 13 from 16 feet. But he recovered the stroke with a birdie on the 16th and stayed ahead of the pack despite that final hole miss as Que settled for pars in the last six holes and Petchkasem ran out of holes after making a late charge with three birdies in the last six holes.

“I’ve been playing inspired game the last few months, especially with my wife Cheryl (Alferez) set to give birth to our second child in two weeks time,” said Lascuña. “It’s a boy and I’m really so excited.”

The three-leg winner of this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, however, has opted to downplay his chances for a first-ever ADT title in the event co-staged by the ADT and the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“I don’t want to think about winning yet. I just want to concentrate on my game tomorrow (today). Hopefully, I can continue to play like how I did in the first three rounds,” said the 43-year-old Davaoeño.

Rattanon Wannasrichan, also of Thailand, rallied with three birdies in the last four holes and shot a 67 for a 205, while Munson, who took charge halfway through the event sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. and backed by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., with a 66 Thursday, went two-under after 13 holes but bogeyed Nos. 14 and 15 and tumbled down to fifth at 206.

Swede Nils Floren turned in the day’s best – a bogey-free 66 to seize solo sixth at 207 while Miguel Tabuena hit three birdies at the back to fire a 70 and move to joint seventh at 209 with Taiwan’s Hsieh Tung-shu, who shot a 67, and Thait Poosit Supupramai, who sputtered with a 73.

Ababa never recovered from a frontside 37 and limped with a 75 to drop to joint 10th with Scot James Byrne, who won last week’s ADT leg in Jakarta, who failed to sustain his second round 64 with a 71.

Que actually matched Lascuña’s frontside 33, pitching in from 20 yards to start his round. But like in the opener where he shot 30 but slowed with a 35 for a 65, he settled for just one birdie at the back while saving pars in the last three after missing the green.

“Maybe I got a bit tired in the end.  Overall, though, I was okay.  So excited to be in Lascuña’s flight again.  We know so well our game and have so much respect with each other.  It is going to be tough as he is really a tough opponent,” Que said.

But Petchkasem looms as a key contender for the top $17,500 purse with the Thai ace hoping to sustain his fightback from a bogey on No. 2 with five birdies as he slugs it out with the country’s aces in the championship flight.