Lascuña keeps long-hitters at bay, pads lead to three

Antonio Lascuña fifires eight birdies in bogeyless opening round. — CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Antonio Lascuña continued to hold fort in sweltering heat and in the face of opposition that outhits him every time, shooting a four-under-par 68 to jack up his ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship lead to three shots heading into the money rounds in Cavinti, Laguna.

With a 36-hole 132 aggregate after a five-birdie, one-bogey second round effort, Lascuña is ahead of defending champion Keanu Jahns, who carved out his version of a 68, and four-up on a formidable trio made up of Angelo Que (70), Zanieboy Gialon (66) and Dutchman Guido van der Valk (66).

“I just hope that my putting holds up,” Lascuña told the Inquirer in Filipino as he tries to end a winless spell on tour dating back to Splendido in 2024. “It has become difficult because you have to know the speed on the spots you are at. There are slow ones and really quick ones.”

Four other players are within six of the lead and another five within seven with still 36 holes left and Lascuña will try to hold off a chasing cavalry that hits it farther than he does.

“That’s why I think the most crucial part of my game that needs to work is my putting,” he explained when asked of his mindset heading into his third round pairing with Jahns—possibly the longest hitter on tour—and Gialon.

“If I can putt well, I think I would have negated the disadvantage I have off the tees.” Sean Ramos shot a 68 and caught Rupert Zaragosa, who fired a 70, at 137, with Russell Bautista and Dino Villanueva firing a 70 and 71, in that order, to be at 138 and within range of breaking through in the circuit.

Jahns had eight birdies in a 33-35 effort, but a closing bogey cost him a stroke that could be crucial in the long haul. Que, the reigning Order of Merit winner, also had a double bogey on No. 9 when he drove out of bounds, negating an eagle 3 on No. 4 for the second straight day.