CAVINTI, Laguna – Tony Lascuña reminded everyone that experience and skill still reign supreme over sheer power, seizing control of the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship field after a brilliant eight-under 64 on Tuesday.
With the notorious Caliraya winds taking a rare break beneath dark skies and winter conditions ideal for low scoring, it was one of the tour's most senior players who took full advantage, opening a two-stroke lead over Angelo Que and Clyde Mondilla at the start of the P2.5 million championship.
A winner of a record five Order of Merit titles, Lascuña, 55, not only defied Father Time but also delivered a performance worthy of yet another championship.
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“I feel like young again. I hit all fairways and greens and finished with 28 putts,” said Lascuña in jest.
Yielding 50-60 yards to the Tour’s big hitters, Lascuña relied on his trusted fairway woods and newly acquired Srixon irons to dominate the course. He birdied four of the first seven holes and added another four on the back nine.
“It’s been a long time since I shot this low, it’s exhausting but the conditions were great,” said Lascuña, recalling his last win in adverse weather conditions at Splendido Taal in 2024.
However, Que, the reigning Order of Merit winner, and multi-titled Mondilla lurked closely behind with matching 66s. Keanu Jahns entered the mix with a 67, aiming for back-to-back championships after defeating Que by four strokes in this event last year.
Que, poised to match Lascuña’s flawless performance, stumbled with a bogey on the tricky par-4 18th. However, this misstep did not overshadow his superb 31-35 round, which included three birdies and an eagle on No. 4, along with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17.
Mondilla birdied five of his first 12 holes and closed with a birdie-bogey-birdie finish for a 34-32. He lamented missed birdie opportunities, saying, “There were many chances that didn’t go in.”
Jahns also eagled No. 4, notching six birdies but stumbling with a bogey and a double bogey at the par-3 11th. Still, with a five-under, the Fil-German stood just three strokes off Lascuña, alongside Fidel Concepcion, Jeffren Lumbo, Dino Villanueva, and Rupert Zaragosa.
Meanwhile, Koreans Lee Song and Ryoto Furuya led the international charge with 68s, joining Russell Bautista, Gabriel Manotoc, Ivan Monsalve, and Nilo Salahog in a tie for ninth.
Sean Ramos birdied two of the last five holes, leading a tightly contested group at 69 that includes contenders Art Arbole, Jay Bayron, Michael Bibat, Aidric Chan, Jhondie Quibol, and Boni Salahog, making the leaderboard intensely competitive.
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