Lascuña posts record 11-shot F Hills romp

ANTIPOLO, Philippines – Tony Lascuña nailed his third victory on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, completing a pressure-free, season-best 11-shot romp over Zanieboy Gialon and Orlan Sumcad yesterday with an eagle-spiked 67 and moving two wins away from matching his five-title feat in a banner 2014 campaign.

Lascuña turned the final round into a victory walk after virtually sealing the win as early as Friday when he went unassailably ahead by eight over Sumcad, Michael Bibat, Jay Bayron and Marvin Dumandan at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club here.

Sumcad fell farther back with an early bogey in the final round but the long-hitting shotmaker fought back with six birdies in a nine-hole stretch from No. 3, cutting Lascuña’s lead to five with seven holes left in a flight ahead of the final group.

But he double-bogeyed the difficult No. 12 and Lascuña, who gunned down three birdies against two bogeys after 12 holes, went six-up again before capping his romp with an eagle and a birdie in the last three holes to bank another P360,000.

The former three-time PGT Order of Merit winner totaled a 72-hole 16-under 268 effort, wresting early control with 65 and 64 and practically wrapping up the championship in the third round despite a one-over 72 card.

“It’s nice to win again. I’ve been working hard to further improve my game,” said the 46-year-old Lascuña, whose training includes three 18-hole game each week, a two-hour gym workout and road work, keeping him fit on the rolling Forest Hills layout despite coming off an Asian Tour campaign in Thailand where he wound up joint 11th last week.

Lascuña’s 11-shot victory also proved to be the biggest winning margin after eight legs of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., besting Mondilla’s eight-stroke triumph over Jhonnel Ababa at Calatagan last month.

It also moved the ace Davaoeño shotmaker, who ruled the Luisita leg by four over Korean Park Jun Hyeok last April and nipped Japanese Ryoma Miki by one at Eagle Ridge early this month, within two victories from equaling his five-title feat two years ago that netted him a third straight OOM title.

Three flights ahead, Gialon rammed in four birdies and posted a bogey-free 67 to tie Sumcad, who carded a second 70, at 279. Each received P195,000.

The event is backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion.

Bayron ended up with a second 71 for fourth at 280 worth P115,000 while Bibat sputtered with a 72 and dropped to joint fifth with Rene Menor, who hobbled with a 72, and 2010 champion Mars Pucay, who shot a 70, at 281.

Dumandan limped with a 73 and wound up eighth at 282 while John Rey Pactolerin ended up ninth at 284 after a 69 and Elmer Salvador fired a 69 to tie Danny Zarate, who made a 74, at 285.

Mondila, who had an impressive 67 opening, never recovered from a second 73 and finished with a third straight two-over par card for a 286 for joint 12th with Ferdie Aunzo, who matched par 71.

Eight legs remain in the 2016 PGT calendar with Bacolod hosting the next two legs on July 6-9 at Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin and on July 13-16 at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, the former Marapara layout.