TCC Invitational: Lascuña seizes lead from Tabuena with last-hole birdie for 72

STA. ROSA, Laguna – Tony Lascuña took charge in a gripping turn of events in another punishing day at The Country Club, overcoming a huge deficit and snatching the lead from Miguel Tabuena with a clutch two-shot swing on the last hole in the third round of the TCC Invitational here Thursday.

Short in length but long in talent, Lascuna showed tenacity and skill as he crafted a gritty 72, bucking challenging conditions with a masterful frontside assault and dislodging Tabuena with a stupefying birdie off a spectacular shot on the demanding closing hole to find himself the bewildered leader at even-par 216.

Lascuna’s bold 3-wood second shot from 225 yards sailed against the high winds and landed 12 feet off the cup. After twice studying the line of his putt, he drilled it in to rescue a 35-37 and complete his remarkable charge from four shots down halfway through the P6 million tournament and closer to a second championship.

“Grabe ang course. Lamang talaga dito ang long hitters pero maganda ang pitch-and-putt ko,” said Lascuna, whose performance mirrored his victory 20 years ago in what used to be the Don Pocholo Razon Memorial Cup, highlighting the enduring quality of his game.

Despite giving away significant yardage off the mound to Tabuena and Clyde Mondilla, Lascuna’s exceptional shots, including a chip-in birdie on the wind-raked par-3 No. 6 brought him within striking distance. The seasoned campaigner’s monster 60-foot birdie putt on the par-5 No. 2 hinted at a day of brilliance, setting the stage for a compelling showdown with Tabuena, who finished without a birdie for the second straight day, leading to a 77 and a 217.

Tabuena clung onto the lead despite a four-bogey card after 17 holes. But he came up short on the 18th green and failed to get up-and-down from 15 feet, slipping to second after a dominant start with a record 64 and holding sway in the second round after a 76.

“I putted the ball well but I wasn’t happy with the way I struck it (ball). My long game wasn’t to my standards,” rued Tabuena, who bogeyed three of the last five holes for an uncharacteristic 38-39.

The two-time Philippine Open champion faced early challenges as he missed makeable