SANTA ROSA, Laguna. – Tony Lascuña and Miguel Tabuena set the stage for an enthralling showdown in the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational, advancing to the finals with distinct victories in a grueling third day battle of nerves at the TCC course here Thursday.
Lascuña, a step away from defending the crown he won in emphatic fashion over Keanu Jahns, 4 and 3, at Villamor last year, secured a convincing win over Marvin Dumandan, 3 and 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 and 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 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 and 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.
