Eagle-spiked 67 lifts Lascuña to joint 9th

MANILA, Philippines - Tony Lascuña fired an eagle-spiked five-under 67 to trail Thais Chapchai Nirat and Kiradech Aphibarnrat by three at the start of the Myanmar Open, the kickoff leg of this year’s Asian Tour, at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club in Yangon yesterday.

Lascuña, coming off a joint sixth-place finish in the Singha Esan Open of the ASEAN PGA Tour in Thailand last week, eagled the par-4 No. 12 to open his campaign in the $300,000 event then added three birdies against a bogey to make the turn at 32.

The top Filipino player hit two more birdies at the front but reeled back with a bogey on the sixth for that 67 for joint ninth with 11 others.

Nirat rattled off eight birdies in a 10-hole stretch linking both nines to shoot a 64 while Aphibarnrat birdied the first three holes and eagled No. 5 for a bogey-free eight under card and a one-stroke lead over fellow Thai Prom Meesawat and Joonas Grandberg of Finland, who both carded 65s.

Angelo Que nearly blew a four-under card with two bogeys at the back but hit a clutch birdie at the par-4 17th to save a 69.

Jay Bayron, the reigning Asian Development Tour champion, shot a two-under 70 but stood way down in joint 42nd as the field tamed the par-72 layout with under-par scores.

Koreans Hwang In-choon and Young Nam turned in similar 66s to tie Thanyakon Khrongpha while Pariya Junhasavasdikul led the 68 scorers who included Prayad Marksaeng and Danny Chia.