Lascuna nears Order of Merit title

TONY Lascuna was not as sharp as in his previous performances these past few days but did just enough with a one-under par 71 to stand 18 holes away from claiming both the Order of Merit title and the crown in the ICTSI Wack Wack Championship at Wack Wack’s East course yesterday.

Lascuna fought off a spirited charge by Elmer Salvador and sank two birdies at the back for that 71 and a 54-hole total of eight-under 208 for a seven-shot lead over Salvador and Angelo Que.

Salvador, who started the round eight strokes behind, closed to within four with a fiery 33 but the ICTSI Sherwood and Aboitiz Invitational champion wavered with a closing 37 for a 71 and a 215.

Que also finished with the same score as Salvador with four birdies and four bogeys as his struggles continued at the course that he championed at during the Philippine Open back in 2008.

There were no major threats from the other fancied men of the tour, who all struggled in another wind-blown day and tough pin placements with Carl Santos-Ocampo, winner at ICTSI Palos Verdes, fumbling a solid 32 at the front with a 37 for a 69. He moved up to solo fourth at 216, eight shots adrift.

Zanie Boy Gialon, a two-leg winner like Lascuna and Salvador, faltered with a 74 to drop to joint fifth with James Ryan Lam, who matched par 72, at 218 while defending champion Frankie Minoza also failed to sustain a 34 start with a 37 for a 71 for a 219 in a tie with Clyde Mondilla, who made a 72.  /Correspondent Jonas Panerio