No change in golf's new normal as Lascuña triumphs anew

MANILA, Philippines – Save for a couple of surprises from small packages in the first two rounds, it was all normal for the Philippine Golf Tour restart in new normal.

Multi-titled Tony Lascuña ended up on top of the ICTSI Riviera Invitational Challenge Friday the way he did when he closed out last year’s PGT season with back-to-back title romps in his hometown Davao, beating Ira Alido and Rupert Zaragosa by four with a closing 68 at the Couples course in Silang, Cavite.

Trading length for accuracy the last few years, Lascuña still proved sharp as ever with his rescue clubs and irons and the hunger for victory more evident than being rusty coming off a long layoff due to pandemic.

“It’s so nice to win again but nicer for us to finally have a tournament to play in,” said Lascuña, the most dominant player in the circuit with four Order of Merit titles. He assembled an eight-under 280 and banked the top P350,000 purse.

“It’s been a long time since we last competed and we could only thank ICTSI and the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. for giving us the opportunity to play competitively again,” he added.

Staying in the hunt despite 71-72 rounds due to lack of competitive play, Lascuña finally found his touch and rhythm and shot a bogey-free 69 Thursday, catching Zaragosa at the helm. He then sustained his form and assault with those closing five birdies and a couple of scrambling pars. A bogey on the 18th, however, ruined what could’ve been a flawless run in the last 36 holes.

But the last-hole mishap hardly mattered for the veteran campaigner, who stayed physically active during the lockdown and spent the long break teaching and training at the Manila Southwoods when quarantine restrictions eased up in May.

His imposing victory should likewise make him the marked man when the second and last PGT tournament in the pandemic-hit season is held Dec. 8-11 at the adjacent Langer layout along with the 54-hole Ladies PGT championship, headed by Thursday’s winner Princess Superal.

Diminutive Joenard Rates and Zaragosa provided the shock in the first two days of the P2.5 million event with the former seizing control with a 69 after 18 holes and the latter taking charge midway through with his own version of a three-under card.

But Lascuña, the first Filipino to win on PGT Asia abroad in Taiwan last year then posted a pair of three-shot victories at Apo and South Pacific to wrap up the milestone 10th season of the country’s premier circuit, rattled off two frontside birdies in the final round to storm ahead and on his way to another victory.

Rates and Zaragosa didn’t actually stray behind with a 35 and 37 starts, respectively. But after Lascuña birdied Nos. 10 and 11 for the second straight day and sped away by four, there was no stopping the multi-titled ace from securing another victory.

Alido rallied with a three-birdie binge from No. 11 and shot a 69 and earned a share of second at 284 as Zaragosa bogeyed the last two for a 72. Each received P187,500.

Former Philippine Open champion and many-time PGT and PGT Asia titlist Angelo Que snatched fourth place at 285 worth P110,000 after a 67 in a surge that came a bit late for one of the fancied players in the fold while Justin Quiban also sizzled late, producing the tournament-best bogey-less seven-under 65 to tie Rates, who faded with three backside bogeys for a 74, at fifth at 287. Each received P103,105.

Fidel Concepcion shot a 71 and shared seventh place at 288 with Miguel Tabuena, the two-time Phl Open champion who had failed to really get going after an opening 71, finishing with a second 72.

Dutch Guido Van der Valk, winner of this year’s The Country Club Invitational before the Covid-19 outbreak disrupted play, matched par 72 for ninth at 289 while Jay Bayron and Michael Bibat tied for 10th at 291 after 71 and 72, respectively.