No change in local golf as Lascuña triumphs

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 yesterday 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 won 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.