Juvic blows top but keeps lead with 67, holds off steady Dabawenyo

TONY LASCUNA OF DAVAO

JUVIC PAGUNSAN OF BACOLOD

BACOLOD – Juvic Pagunsan dumped his caddie after seven holes at the back but held on to fire a three-under 67 and hold off a steady Dabawenyo Tony Lascuña as he kept a one-stroke lead heading into the final round of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic here Thursday.

Disgusted over Joebert Miraveles’ ”wrong allowance” on a par-putt bid from six feet after dumping his tee-shot into the bunker of the par-3 No. 16, Pagunsan asked his caddie to go and went on to atone for an uncharacteristic 37 with a typical Pagunsan windup – a five-under 30.

That fiery closing stint included a stirring four-birdie string from No. 4 where Pagunsan had to pull out his driver, an iron and his trusted putter in between the putting green and the tee-box of each adjacent holes at the par-70 Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club to save his energy.

“Tingnan nyo na lang sa scorecard (Just look at my scorecard),” a fuming Pagunsan blurted when asked by mediamen for the traditional post-round interview.

But his card revealed the brilliance in the man as Pagunsan, who opened his backside stint with a bogey on No. 11, flashed resiliency with a birdie on No. 1 before knocking down birdies inside five feet from No. 4 literally by his lonesome. Counting his bogey-free 66 in the first round, the three-leg winner after five stages of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour remained on top at seven-under 133.

But Lascuna kept Pagunsan within sight at 134, turning in a second straight 67 and staying on track of his own bid to end a long title drought.

“I’m on target but I still struggled on the slow surface,” said Lascuna in Filipino. He missed three birdie chances inside feet but expressed confidence in finally snapping a long title drought on the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminals Services, Inc.

His last win, interestingly, came at the expense of Pagunsan, whom he outlasted in a three-hole playoff in the 2008 Unity Cup tournament at Valley Golf Club.

“Di ko din talaga alam kung bakit nagalit na lang agad. Sinabihan na lang ako na magpahinga na,” said Miraveles,

Mhark Fernando, the former national amateur champion seeking a breakthrough win on the big league, matched Pagunsan’s 30 at the front as he shot one of the day’s best scores of 66 to join the chase for the top P200,000 purse in the P1 million event with a 136, four shots behind the leader.

The rest of the surviving 48-player field stood too far off the pace to pose as threats although veteran Robert Pactolerin flashed vintage form with a second 69 for fourth at 138.

Richard Sinfuego fired a 69 to tie Anthony Fernando (72) and Mars Pucay (71) at even 140 while Marvin Dumandan carded an even par 70 for a 141 and a share of eighth with Artemio Murakami (69), Gene Bondoc (72) and Jun Bernis, who rallied with the other 66.

Zanie Boy Gialon of ICTSI-The Country Club made a 72 for a 145 and remained the leading amateur at joint 24^th while 12 players made the cut at 148, including Arnold Villacencio (72), Herman Umadhay (74), Peter Miñoza (76), Paolo San Gabriel (71), Elmer Saban (73), Godofredo SInfuego (77), amateur Raymond Jaraula (75), Ramil Bisera (73), Neil Catalan (73) Albin Engino (73), Cookie La’O (78) and James Ryan Lam (78).

The event, the sixth leg of the 17-stage circuit, is backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)