LUBAO, Pampanga – A couple of top guns out to snap a long spell took charge with identical 69s while a pair of amateurs, a legend and two former amateur hotshots matched 70s in a crowded leaderboard at the start of the ICTSI Pradera Championship on Tuesday.
With the wind at manageable levels, Angelo Que and Tony Lascuña produced three-under cards in varying fashions with the former banking on his length and putting to string a 34-35 and the latter forging ahead with his trusted 3-wood and irons for a 36-33.
“I had a good day, putted well, hit a few bad shots but was able to recover pretty good,” said the multi-titled Que, a three-time former Asian Tour winner, who last won a Philippine Golf Tour event in 2019.

The amiable former Philippine Open champion actually bucked a two-bogey-one-bogey card at the backside of the long, well-maintained layout measuring 7,262 yards but hit back-to-back birdies from No. 16, added another on the first hole then bounced back from a mishap on No. 2 with another pair of birdies from No. 4.
He did miss some fairways and greens but found a way to finish with 25 putts and put himself in early contention in the P2 million season-ending PGT tournament put up by ICTSI.
“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing – hit the fairways and greens and hopefully hole in more putts and avoid bogeys,” said Que, who is also using this tournament as part of his final buildup for the LIV-backed Asian Tour events in Morocco and Egypt starting next week.
To make up for his lack of length, Lascuña banked on his 3-wood and long irons and seized control with amateur Elee Bisera with a four-under card after 10 holes, also from the back. He fumbled with back-to-back bogeys from No. 2 on a couple of mishits but recovered a stroke on the par-5 ninth to catch his fellow Manila Southwoods’ bet at the helm.
“The course is too long for me and the greens are also tough. But I was able to hit five birdies against two bogeys. So, I’m very happy,” said Lascuna, a four-time Order of Merit winner, including three straight from 2012, who last won at Riviera two years ago.
Despite being winless the last couple of years, Lascuna is enjoying top form, coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes at Eagle Ridge-Aoki and Riviera, the last, losing to Juvic Pagunsan in sudden death three weeks ago.
But a curious mix of pursuers stood just a stroke behind as Frankie Miñoza flashed vintage form to fire a 70, which former amateur stalwart and flightmate Mars Pucay, former Philippine Open champion Gerald Rosales and Bisera and long-hitting fellow amateur Josh Jorge matched in separate flights.
Splendido Taal leg winner Guido Van der Valk and Jhonnel Ababa and Mhark Fernando shot 71s to likewise put themselves in the early mix in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“My expectation is very low,” said the reticent Miñoza. “It’s a good start but I just came here to enjoy the game.”
In the women's event, Chanelle Avaricio used a strong start and a stronger finish to shoot a 67 and storm ahead by three over amateur Mafy Singson.
Using the postponement of the LPGA Q-School Stage II to hone and sharpen up her all-around skills, Avaricio flashed top form at the Pradera Verde layout where she reigned in runaway fashion last June, birdying three of the first eight holes then rebounding from a bunker-bunker mishap on the par-5 No. 9 with three backside birdies.
That put the former Alabama State star at a very familiar spot in the circuit she has dominated with three victories before embarking on a tougher mission in the LPGA.
“I hit a number of good iron shots that set up short birdie putts,” said Avaricio, who gained strokes on Nos. 4, 5 and 8 then made up for his lone miscue with birdies on Nos. 10, 16 and 18.
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