Tony Lascuna: Seeking 4th straight win

BACOLOD – Premium will be on power and putting as the men of the tour, headed by Olympic-bound Miguel Tabuena and streaking Tony Lascuña, resume their hunt for Philippine Golf Tour glory in the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic beginning today (Wednesday, July 13) at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

While Tabuena and a slew of others will opt to attack the relatively short 6,197-yard, par-70 layout, and try to gun down birdies in bunches, Lascuña said he’d go for a conservative approach and bank on his superb putting that has carried him to three victories in the last three legs of the circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

Miguel Tabuena: On target after topping the pro-am

“I’m very eager to play and in top shape,” said Tabuena, back in the local hunt since the ICTSI Manila Masters at Eastridge last May. “I will attack every hole, especially the reachable par-4s.”

Meanwhile, Tabuena, priming up for next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, backed up his claim to enjoying top form by winning yesterday’s pro-am tournament, teaming up with Jess Maestral, Jason Villarosa and Lito Maestral to pool a 17-under 53 and beat Cassius Casas, Mike Ortiz, Kenneth Valderama and Jack Alonso by two.

Charles Hong, with partners Marlowe Cortez, Mark Cuaycong and Jeffrey Infante, also shot a 55 but lost in the countback to Casas’ group.

The 21-year-old Tabuena, the reigning Order of Merit champion, said his target is to get to 20-under as he seeks a follow-up to his Anvaya Invitational romp in the kickoff leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. last February.

Jay Bayron: Eyeing a strong start

In contrast, Lascuña said he will play it safe all throughout, aware of the challenges and terrors lurking on the tight, hazard-laden, tree-lined layout, having reigned here with a 12-under card when NOGCC, the former Marapara layout, last hosted a PGT event in 2014.

“I’ll just beat them on the putting surface,” said Lascuña, who has brandished awesome touch on the greens that netted him victories at Eagle Ridge, Forest Hills and Bacolod, including a 12-foot putt off the fringe to edge Dutch Guido Van der Valk and American Micah Shin in a playoff last Saturday in Binitin.

Guido Van der Valk: Lessons learned from Binitin

What makes the P1.5 million event doubly interesting is that the two aces are paired in the featured 8:30 a.m. flight on No. 1, together with Del Monte star and two-leg winner Clyde Mondilla, guaranteeing an early showcase of shotmaking, iron game and putting among three of the country’s leading players.

But a host of others are out to foil their bid, including Jay Bayron, Cassius Casas, Elmer Salvador, Mhark Fernando, Mars Pucay Jhonnel Ababa, local favorite Robert Pactolerin, Rufino Bayron and Van der Valk.

“I will gamble and attack,” said Bayron, who seized the second round lead in Binitin but wavered in the final round and wound up fourth. “The first player to post a big lead will win here.”

Van der Valk will likely go Lascuña’s way as the veteran Dutch campaigner presses his bid for a breakthrough victory on the local circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Pacsports, TaylorMade, Sharp and Champion.

“I’ll use my head this time and try not to commit the same errors I made at Binitin,” said Van der Valk, referring to his poor decisions that cost him the lead in the closing holes.