Art Arbole reacts after holing out with an eagle on No. 4

CABANATUAN City – Art Arbole produced an exceptional performance by carding a 66, catching Tony Lascuña at the helm of the ICTSI Lakewood Championship and setting the stage for a showdown between a player still seeking his first Tour win and an ace whose victories match his age of 53.

Lascuña displayed vintage form, starting strong and finishing even stronger, his 67 initially placing him at the top at eight-under 136. However, Arbole matched him with an impressive round he laced with eagles on Nos. 14 and 4, although it was his birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 that earned him a shared view of the top with consistent nines of 33s.

“I was expecting to shoot a low score because I always practice,” said Arbole in Pilipino, attributing his surge to solid driving and precise approach shots, a performance that surprised many.

The P2.5 million championship is now set for a thrilling last 36 holes as Reymon Jaraula and Sean Ramos charged back with 137s, each posting bogey-free frontside 31s. Jaraula finished with a tournament-best 65, while Ramos matched Lascuña’s five-under output.

First day leader Hyun Ho Rho slowed down with a 72 after a 66 but remained just two strokes behind at 138, tied with Rupert Zaragosa and Ozeki Kakeru, who shot 69 and 71, respectively, ensuring a highly competitive third round as contenders jostle for position for the top P450,000 prize.

Albin Engino and Daiya Suzuki each carded 69s, while Jay Bayron settled for a 70, all three sitting at 139. Jhonnel Ababa, who was just one stroke behind Rho after the first round, faltered with a 73, marred by a triple-bogey on the par-3 third hole. He dropped from joint second to a tie for 11th at 140, alongside Nelson Huerva and Gabriel Manotoc, who carded 69 and 71 respectively.

Forty-one players advanced to the last two rounds, with Jerson Balasabas and Luis Bagtas clinching the final spots at 150 after shooting 72 and 74, respectively.

Arbole, like Lascuña, attributed his motivation throughout his long but somewhat unproductive campaign to his family. He finished 32nd at Apo, tied for 14th at Palos Verdes, missed the cut at Caliraya Springs, and placed 36th at the Philippine Masters.

Tony Lascuna becomes playful after making the turn with a 34, including a birdie on the 18th.

“They really need to be your inspiration,” Arbole emphasized after he eagled the par-5 14th with a six-foot putt off an 8-iron second shot from 165 yards then drained a 10-footer on No. 4 after a 78-iron shot from 186 yards.

Lascuña, also driven by his consistent performances in the first four legs of this year’s 10-stage circuit, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., remains determined.

“Pwede pa din tayo. Gumana ang putting kaya medyo naka-score (I can still do it. My putting clicked, so I kind of scored),” he said, underlining the importance of his record four Order of Merit titles from 2012 to 2016.

Overnight rains had softened the fairways at Lakewood, making them longer and slowing the greens. Yet, Lascuña adapted better than his younger competitors, who struggled with the conditions despite the lift-clean-and-place rule on the fairways.

He leveraged his experience to birdie all four par-5s after dominating half of the long holes in the tournament’s initial round. His expertise and composure stood out in the event, sponsored by ICTSI and supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf.

Despite a slow start, taking four holes to find his rhythm, Lascuña’s game quickly revived memories of his prime. He carded seven birdies against two bogeys, securing an eight-under total.

With a mix of talented challengers behind, Lascuña reveled in his return to the top. His consistent performances in the first four legs of this year’s 10-stage circuit, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., have been notable, anchored by third place finishes at Apo and Villamor.

At 53, with 53 career victories, Lascuna said he never gets tired of winning. “It’s in my mindset that in every tournament, I want to contend and I want to win.”