It’s Lascuña against Jahns, Constantino versus Malixi

MANILA, Philippines, November 18 ------ Tony Lascuña continued to defy Father Time, purposely using a couple of strong starts to keep his energy up throughout a grueling campaign, netting him a couple of romps to barge into the finals of the ICTSI Villamor Match Play at the Villamor Golf Club in Pasay yesterday.

“I thought I need to get ahead of them early. I’m so, so tired but good thing, my game didn’t change a bit,” said Lascuña, 51, after dominating Clyde Mondilla, 5&3, in the afternoon semifinals.

In the same fashion he booted out Gerald Rosales, 4&3, in the morning quarterfinals in hot conditions, Lascuña birdied the first two holes to take command, went 3-up after four then cleverly matched his rivals’ outputs in the closing holes to secure the twin wins and the coveted spot in the finals of the first head-to-head tournament in the country’s premier pro circuit. But standing in his way is a young, hungry ace due for a breakthrough victory as Keanu Jahns stopped Lloyd Go, 2&1, in the other semis clash to get a crack at the top P280,000 purse. They mix it up starting at 9 a.m.

The 24th-ranked Jahns, whose best career finish was second twice, the last when he lost to Lascuña by three in the 2019 ICTSI Apo Invitational, sustained his big 4&2 reversal over eighth-ranked Jhonnel Ababa in the Last 16 Wednesday, besting top seed Guido Van der Valk, 3&2, in the morning quarters then ending Go’s impressive run of victories that included a 5&4 rout of Marvin Dumandan in the first round, a 7&5 cruise over Zanieboy Gialon in the next, and a 3&2 victory over Miguel Tabuena in the quarters. “I’ve been playing pretty solid and my swing feels good. So after my match with Ababa, that’s when I felt good, that I felt I had the chance, so I kept the momentum going and won against Guido and Lloyd,” said the 27-year-old Jahns.

In the ladies side, Harmie Constantino trampled Marvi Monsalve with a workmanlike 6&4 triumph while a steady Rianne Malixi hammered out a 3&2 decision over Chihiro Ikeda as they forged a showdown for the crown.

The second ranked Constantino dominated the No. 6 Monsalve with a superb all-around performance as she logged her most lopsided victory after grinding out a tough 1-up escape over Mafy Singson in the first round and pulling off a 3&1 win over Sunshine Baraquiel in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. “I think I made a lot of putts and had a lot of good saves,” said Constantino.

In contrast, Malixi three-putted No. 9 that enabled Ikeda to force an all-square match but the top amateur hit a clutch birdie on the 13th and went on to win two more holes to thwart her top seeded rival via the same scoreline she disposed of Pamela Mariano and Gretchen Villacencio in the first two days.

Source: philstar.com