Lascuña sets pace with solid 64

MANILA, Philippines – Tony Lascuña rattled off four straight birdies and an eagle to spike his homeward trip at the front en route to a stunning bogey-free eight-under 64 to emerge the surprise leader in the $750,000 Myanmar Open at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club in Yangon yesterday.

It was the Filipino veteran campaigner’s best start in a tournament in years although he once strung up nine straight birdies in a practice round at Canlubang many years ago.

Lascuña’s solid start also led the Filipinos’ charge in the second leg of this year’s Asian Tour with Miguel Tabuena, coming off a joint fourth place finish in Singapore Open last week, sustaining his form and shooting a five under 67.

Angelo Que, a former three-time Asian Tour champion, also stayed in the mix, carding a 68 while Juvic Pagunsan settled for a 71.

Starting at the back, Lascuña, who tied for 28th in Singapore, parred the first four holes before gunning down back-to-back birdies. After closing out with three pars, the former three-time local Order of Merit champion sizzled with four straight birdies at the front then eagled the par-5 No. 5 before finishing with regulation pars for a 30.

That put him one shot ahead of Malaysian Danny Chia, who shot a 65, while Japanese Azuma Yano and former SOlaire Open winner Richard Lee turned in identical 66s to tie four others at third place.

Over in Florida, Cyna Rodriguez failed to sustain her final round rally in Bahamas as she sputtered with a three-over 75 at the start of the Coates Golf Championship paced by Korean Ha Na Jang at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club in Ocala Thursday.

Rodriguez, who closed out with a five-under 68 to finish joint 72nd in her LPGA debut in Bahamas last week, struggled with her irons and putting and limped with four bogeys against a lone birdie and faced the specter of missing the cut in the early going of her LPGA campaign.

She stood at joint 95th, 10 shots off Ha, who sizzled with a seven-under 65 to open a three-stroke lead over compatriot In Gee Chub and five others.