Casas targets third crown in TCC invit’l

MANILA, Philippines - Cassius Casas hopes to turn back the hand of time and a mix of young and fellow veteran rivals he had bested the last time out as he seeks a second straight championship and third overall in The Country Club Invitational unfolding Thursday at the TCC course in Laguna.

Three years after outduelling Tony Lascuña in a thrilling finale to win by one in 2014, Casas believes he still has what it takes to win in this kind of top-level championship which features an elite cast – the top 30 players in last year’s Order of Merit of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour and the event’s former winners.

“I think I’m still good for five more wins,” said Casas, still hungry for title at 49.

That hunger should serve as an impetus for the former Philippine Open champion to outdo himself and the rest of the stellar field as he slugs it out with the country’s aces, including reigning OOM champion Lascuña, young Miguel Tabuena and former three-time champions Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan.

“I know it will be tough with all these players around. But I’m in shape and feel good about my chances,” said the inaugural champion and last winner of what has long been regarded as the country’s premier golf championship outside of the Philippine Open.

The TCC Invitational, put up by ICTSI boss Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo, himself an avid golfer, was shelved the last two years to give way to the renovation of the exclusive Tom Weiskoph-designed course.

That should make the par-72 layout more daunting and the battle for the top P1.5 million purse doubly interesting with former winners Frankie Miñoza and Artemio Murakami also in the title hunt in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.