SANTA ROSA, Laguna – Tony Lascuña and Miguel Tabuena set the stage for an enthralling showdown in the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational, each advancing to the finals with distinct victories in a grueling third day battle of nerves at the TCC course here yesterday (Thursday).

Lascuña, a step away from defending the crown he won in emphatic fashion over Keanu Jahns, 4&3, at Villamor last year, secured a convincing win over Marvin Dumandan, 3&1, with a strong backside run in the morning quarterfinals.

The four-time Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner, who will turn 53 next month, then fought off fatigue to defeat Elmer Salvador, 4&3, in the afternoon semis, while ending the latter’s remarkable surge with a string of reversals coming off a two-year hiatus.

Lascuña expressed his delight at reaching the finals again, crediting his unexpected opportunity and seizing it.
“So happy to reach the finals again. I didn’t expect it but I was given a chance and grabbed it,” said Lascuña, referring to his three-hole romp from No. 7 that netted him a 3-up lead against Salvador, who earlier nipped Guido van der Valk, 1-up, at the turn.

With a big cushion, he put accent on defense at the backnine, saying: “Depensa na lang sa last 9 holes. But it was a good fight, exciting, kung sino na lang ang magkamali sa amin,” added Lascuna, who went 4-up on Nos. 11 and 12, yielded the next but won the next two to clinch the match.

In contrast, Tabuena faced challenges on his path to the finals of the P2 million championship put up by ICTSI. Overcoming a four-hole deficit against Angelo Que with eight holes to play, he snatched a 1-up win in morning play.

Ranged against Justin Quiban, who earlier dispatched Jhonnel Ababa, 3&1, in the afternoon semis, Tabuena rallied from two-holes down after 13 holes, birdying No. 14 and then pouncing on his rival’s mishap on the next to force an all-square match. They matched pars in the last two to extend their duel.

After trading pars back on No. 1, Tabuena drained a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 second hole after Quiban muffed his own bid, capping an energy-sapping but brilliant day for the current No. 2 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit ranking, spiked by a stirring come-from-behind win in the DGC Open in New Delhi, India last March.

“When Justin missed his, I tried to give myself a chance, which I did. I’m just happy to execute it,” said Tabuena.
Against Lascuña, Tabuena said he would need no specific plan, stressing: “I just want to focus on my recovery because I’m very, very tired.”

In both wins, Tabuena flashed deft putting touch, sinking a match-clinching putt from under 20 feet on the 18th to stun Que in their high-noon duel and then burying the putt from 15 feet on the second extra hole to repel Quiban in a match marred by late afternoon drizzle and set up a showdown with Lascuna.

The 18-hole finale will start at 7:40 a.m. today (Friday) with Lascuña aiming to make it two-in-row in the season-ending championship staking a top purse of P280,000 and Tabuena seeking redemption after a quarterfinal exit last year.

But Tabuena, showcasing a remarkable rise on the third day, got back at erstwhile tormentor Lloyd Go, 3&2, in the first round then eased past Rupert Zaragosa, 6&5, in the Round of 16.

“I’ll just enjoy and play my game,” said Lascuña when asked of his plans against the in-form Tabuena. “Pahinga lang since mahaba nga ang course.”