Lascuna storms ahead with 68 in Stronghold Insurance Senior Open

Tony Lascuña

Pilipinas Golf

SILANG, Cavite — Tony Lascuna sizzled midway through his round and carded a four-under 68 to seize a four-shot lead in the Senior division, while Robert Pactolerin shot a 75 to move ahead in the Super Senior class at the Stronghold Insurance Senior Open at Hallow Ridge here on Monday.

Lascuna strung up three straight birdies bridging both nines to anchor his hot start, flashing the solid form that has kept him among the top performers on the regular pro tour. He ended the first round of the 54-hole championship with a four-stroke cushion over big-hitting Rico Depilo in the marquee 50-59 bracket.

“The pins were very tough to get close to,” said Lascuna in Filipino, who drained all but one of his five birdies from close range. “I guess I was just lucky with some of my approaches.”

In the Super Senior (60-69) division, Pactolerin’s three-over effort on the demanding layout proved good enough for a two-shot lead over Domingo Umadhay, who opened with a 77. Former Philippine Open champion Mario Manubay turned in a 79 for third.

Rey Pagunsan, meanwhile, bogeyed his last three holes and dropped to a 75, slipping seven strokes behind Lascuna. The veteran rued a short game that faltered down the stretch.

“The pins being in difficult spots wasn’t the only challenge,” said Pagunsan in Filipino. “Judging the speed and the breaks is tough if you’re not familiar with the course.”

Australian Matt Bundell emerged as the top-placed foreign bet after matching Pagunsan’s 75, while Orlan Sumcad scrambled to a 77. Armando Eso struggled with a 79 to fall four shots behind Pactolerin.

Both divisions return to action today for the second round, with a 36-hole cut—top 50% of scores and ties—set for Tuesday. The survivors will battle for the titles in Wednesday’s final round.

The Senior champion will pocket P150,000, while the Super Senior winner receives P100,000. A separate 18-hole Legends (70-and-above) championship on Wednesday offers P50,000.

The three-day event, sponsored by Stronghold Insurance, teed off with a pro-am where Lascuna and Dave Mercado Jr. dominated, winning by five strokes over four other two-man squads. Mercado, chairman of Quickway Holdings, fired a system-36 net score of 77 to help clinch the crown.