Tony Lascuña hopes to buck fatigue and the expected charge of a slew of rivals as he kicks off his bid for a third straight victory on the Philippine Golf Tour in the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Challenge unfolding today (Wednesday) at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin.

“I’m a little bit tired but I still feel good,” said Lascuña, playing on his third straight week, including a stint in the Asian PGA Tour in Taiwan last week.

Though he wound up way below at joint 69th in the Yeanger Tournament Players’ Championship, the veteran campaigner remains upbeat of his chances, ready to add another title to his victories at Eagle Ridge and Forest Hills last month.

To prepare himself for another grueling campaign, the 46-year-old Lascuña skipped yesterday’s pro-am and will start at 7:40 a.m. today on No. 10 with Charles Hong and Rene Menor.

“I just need a good start and let’s see what happens from there. But this will be anybody’s race with so many others raring to score a win on this short but challenging course,” said Lascuna.

Premium will be on accuracy with the tight par-70 layout expected to punish wayward shots and its unpredictable putting surface tipped to spell the difference between victory and defeat.

“I like my chances here,” said Cassius Casas, also out to snap a long title spell in the circuit sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Overnight rain actually softened the narrow fairways a bit with rookie pro Justin Quiban
also putting emphasis on course management.

“The course is tight and short and the long hitters will have to make a lot of adjustments to score here,” said Quiban, who made a strong showing of joint third with Angelo Que at Luisita Championship won by Lascuña last April but has struggled the last few tournaments.

Quiban drew veteran Elmer Salvador and former leg winner Joenard Rates in the 7:30 a.m. flight on No. 1 while Casas will tee off at 7:20 at the back with Rufino Bayron and Jun Bernis.

Clyde Mondilla is also out to atone for a so-so campaign at Forest Hills as he launches his drive for a third leg victory in the season at 8:20 a.m., also on No. 10, with Anthony Fernando and Mars Pucay.

Local favorite Orlan Sumcad, one of the tour’s long hitters, said it will boil down to putting, hinting at a 9- or 10-under card as the winning score.

“The course is in good condition but relatively short, thus virtually making it a putting contest,” said Sumcad, always a contender but never a winner on the circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion

The P1.5 million event also serves as the first of two tournament Bacolod is hosting with the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, the former Marapara layout, staging the next stop next week where Lascuña also won when the NOGCC last hosted a PGT leg in 2014.