CAVINTI, Laguna – Tony Lascuña ripped the course and the field with a fine display of shotmaking on the way to a six-under par 66 and a three-shot lead over Ira Alido and two others halfway through the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship on Wednesday.
Tied for the lead with three others after a last-hole birdie for a 68 Tuesday, Lascuña sizzled in a backside start, blending his solid driving and iron play with near-impeccable putting on the softened greens of Caliraya Springs Golf Club.
He produced four birdies then added two more at the front for a 36-hole aggregate of 10-under 134. His 34-32 card, together with that of defending champion Zanieboy Gialon’s eagle-spiked 31-35, also became the new course record at the par-72 course that is hosting a pro tournament for only the second time.
Gialon ruled last year’s inaugurals by four strokes over Clyde Mondilla where six players, including the eventual winner, posted 67s.
Erstwhile co-leaders Lloyd Go, Rupert Zaragosa and Clyde Mondilla slowed down despite near-ideal conditions. Go turned in a 71 on a three-birdie, two-bogey round to slip to joint ninth at 139; while Zaragosa, runaway winner in Iloilo last month, and Mondilla mixed three birdies against the same number of bogeys for identical 72s that dropped them to a share of 12th at 140.
But moving up to joint second at 137 is the troika of Alido and Marvin Dumandan, who matched 67s, and Elmer Salvador, who put in a 68.
Gialon bounced back from an opening 72 with his own version of a 66, sparking his charge with a chip-in birdie on No. 11, then highlighting it with an eagle on the par-5 No. 4 and a closing three-birdie binge at the front.
Gialon, however, remained four shots behind Lascuña at 138, with Eric Gallardo, who fired a 68, and Jhonnel Ababa and Reymon Jaraula, who matched 69s, joining him at fifth.
Young Korean and PGT Q-School topnotcher Rho Hyun Ho carded a 67 and Elee Bisera also shot a 69 as they tied Go at ninth while The Country Club Invitational back-to-back champion Guido van der Valk fought back with a 68 after a 72 to catch Rufino Bayron (70), Nilo Salahog (70), Sean Ramos (71), Zaragosa and Mondilla at 12th.
Forty one players advanced to the last 36 holes with Jelbert Gamolo firing a 71 to tie Francis Morilla and Korean Lee Hwan, who stumbled with 73 and 76, respectively, at 39th with 147s.
Among the notables who missed the Top 40 and ties cut were Jobim Carlos (72) and Frankie Miñoza (73), who both wound up with 148s, Jerson Balasabas (71-149), Gerald Rosales (75-150) and Russell Bautista (74-151).
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