Tony Lascuña

Miguel Tabuena sets out for a follow-up to his come-from-behind victory at Wack Wack while Tony Lascuña seeks a payback as they brace for another spirited battle in the inaugural Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac beginning Wednesday (Sept. 16).

Tabuena rallied from four strokes down in the final round to beat a faltering Lascuña, snatch the ICTSI Open crown last Saturday and surge past the reigning three-time Order of Merit winner in the money race heading to the final two legs of the 15-stage ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.

The duo banners the elite field in the 72-hole championship, which stakes a total prize fund of P2.5 million, including the top P450,000 purse, from the sponsoring Central Azucarera de Tarlac in its effort to boost the local golf circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

It will mark the second time in 26 years that the Luisita layout will play host to big-time golf after its new owners, led by Martin Lorenzo, made some improvements to keep its mystique and make it more challenging. It hosted the ICTSI Luisita Championship last May with Cebuano Charles Hong besting a tough field to claim the victory.

Miguel Tabuena

“I’ll try to redeem myself and strike back at Luisita,” said Lascuña, after turning in his worst final round of 79 at Wack Wack and blowing away a four-stroke lead. But the veteran campaigner is upbeat of his chances at Luisita where he finished joint second with Orlan Sumcad and Marvin Dumandan to Hong the last time out.

Hong is also in the fold, hoping to re-display the form that netted him his second pro championship, along with Jay Bayron, Rufino Bayron, Cassius Casas, Zanieboy Gialon, Mars Pucay, Elmer Salvador, Marvin Dumandan, Orlan Sumcad, Ferdie Aunzo, Joenard Rates, Gerald Rosales, Clyde Mondilla, Arnold Villacencio along with the comebacking Frankie Miñoza, who ruled the 1989 President’s Cup at Luisita.

American tenner Micah Shin has also signed up for the event, leading a crack roster of foreign challengers, who include Koreans Hong Soon Hyup, Lee Hyun Woo, Anthony Kim, Lyu Hyung Suk and Park Jun Song.

But focus will be on Tabuena and Lascuña with the former, with P2,601,917 in winnings, also out to preserve his hold of the OOM lead against the latter, who dropped to second with earnings of P2,334,960.

Third-running Angelo Que, who finished joined second with Lascuña at Wack Wack, has begged off to honor a previous commitment to compete in the Japan PGA Tour also slated this week.

But the rest in the top 10 in the OOM race are in the fold, ensuring a stellar cast in the event at Luisita, the only golf course in the country designed by renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., which will also host this year’s Philippine Open on Dec.17-20.