World cup of golf: Pinoy golfers trail Denmark, US by seven

MELBOURNE – Tony Lascuña proved up to the challenge and fired a plucky one-under 70 but Angelo Que wavered with a 74 on a windy day that stymied even two of the most fancied players in the fold – Australia’s Adam Scott and Matt Kuchar of the US – in an eventful first round of the World Cup of Golf here yesterday.

Lascuña buried a five-footer for birdie on the par-5 No. 15 off a superb approach after a safety shot off the rough then rescued a tough eight-foot par putt off a bunker shot on the par-4 18th to highlight his 34-36 round, a remarkable output for a first-timer at the wind-raked Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

Que had a rollercoaster frontside stint with three birdies against three bogeys, went one-under with a birdie on the 10th but faltered with two bogeys on Nos. 12 and 17 and hobbled with a double-bogey on the 18th for a 74.

With a two-over 144, the Philippines stood in joint 11th in team play, seven shots off the defending champion US, which pooled a 137 behind Kevin Streelman’s five-under 66, and Denmark, led by Thomas Bjorn, who also had a 66, and Thorbjorn Olesen.

The Americans could’ve pulled away right in the opener as Kuchar went on an early birdie binge against Scott and fired a four-under after six holes. But he stumbled in the wind coming home, fumbling with four bogeys and settling for an even 71.

“I am very much satisfied with my round,” said Lascuña after battling the cool wind that blew sideways, cross and against all day, not to mention the unreceptive putting surface that hampered the bids of majority of the competing field. “An even par would’ve been okay considering we practically played this course blind, this being our first time here and without the benefit of a practice round.”

But Scott had played this one over and over again, including last week where he beat Kuchar to claim the Australian Masters. Yet the world No. 2 turned in an uncharacteristic four-over 75 in his much-awaited showdown with defending champion American that drew the biggest gallery from tee-off to the finish.

Scott, who had hoped partner Fil-Aussie Jason Day would rise from a personal tragedy following the death of eight relatives of his mom Dening due to typhoon Yolanda two weeks ago, appeared headed for a solid round after making the turn at 34. But he dropped five shots on the par-4 No. 12 to find himself tumbling to joint 47th in individual competition.

Day, who drew loud applause with birdies on Nos. 2 and 5, finished with a three-under 68, putting him in solo sixth, two strokes behind Bjorn and Streelman, who both tamed the terrors lurking on the lightning-fast greens.

“The greens are so fast. It’s the first time in my life that I’m playing on such greens. It’s super fast. I’m always trying to leave myself with uphill putts out there. This is one of the best rounds of my life,” said Lascuña.

Like Kuchar, Que was grossly disappointed after dropping three shots in the last two holes but hoped to do a lot better in the second round today.

“I had a hard time with the wind coming in, made a bogey and double bogey in the last two holes,” rued Que, who knocked in a long uphill birdie-putt on the ninth to draw level par.

“All in all, I’m quite happy and I hope to play better tomorrow (today),” he added.

A confident Lascuña, whose campaign here with Que is backed by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., is also looking forward to a better performance today although he would have to do it the harder way since he would be starting late when condition is expected to get worse.

“It’s an exciting golf course, the greens are so hard and the course design does not have a straight-forward hole. There are so many dog-leg holes which are interesting,” said Lascuña, who also credited his good game to caddie Gene Bondoc.

“He was just telling me to aim for the tree or something and helped in reading the line of my putts,” said Lascuña, who birdied No. 6 from close range off a splendid approach wedge shot but dropped a stroke on the winding 13th off an errant drive, needing to play out off a stymied lie and missing a 12-footer for par.

“On most occasions, I didn’t know where the target was and when I hit a shot, my partners would say good shot. And I would say ‘thank you’,” said Lascuña, who also thanked Bangladeshi ace Siddikur for reminding him of playing the course the conservative way.