Tony Lascuña acknowledges the adjustment he would make playing from his home course Villamor to the exacting The Country Club course.
That makes him less worried over the slew of younger players, whose length could spell the difference in the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational reeling off Tuesday 21 November in Laguna.
“I always see to it that I’m always ready for every tournament,” the multi-titled Lascuña said.
He will turn 53 next month but remains one of the most-feared players on Tour. He overwhelmed young Keanu Jahns, 4 and 3, at Villamor Golf Club to rule the inaugural staging of the event that gathers the Top 32 players at the conclusion of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour at Mimosa Plus.
Lascuña plans to compensate for his perceived shortcoming in yardage with strategic use of his 3-wood and rescue clubs while emphasizing that putting will also play a crucial role in the tournament.
But he recognizes the talent of his competitors, including Miguel Tabuena, Justin Quiban and Lloyd Go, who with veteran Angelo Que, are all vying in the head-to-head duels while the Asian Tour is on a break.
“The length (at TCC) will be my most challenge. The young ones will have the edge, for sure, but there are many ways to compensate for my shortness in yardage,” Lascuña said.
The only four-time OOM winner in the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.-organized circuit also said his fellow PGT regulars are ready for a crack at the crown, including Jhonnel Ababa, who nailed his first OOM title with victories at Villamor-Philippine Masters and at Mimosa and posted a number of Top 10 finishes; Valley leg winner Reymon Jaraula, Bacolod stage champion Ira Alido; and Rupert Zaragosa, who captured his first PGT win in runaway fashion in Iloilo.
