Red-hot Juvic storms to 8-shot lead

DAVAO - Juvic Pagunsan eagled No. 18 for the second straight day and poised to rout the field for the third straight year with another 66, pulling away by eight strokes over erstwhile co-leader Jhonnel Ababa, who dropped five strokes in one hole in the second round of the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational here, Thursday.
Showing his mastery of the tough Apo layout, Pagunsan duplicated his opening six-under par card as he continued to outclass a stellar field, including the homegrown bets, to virtually wrap up a fourth leg title just halfway through the 16-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
His 36-hole aggregate of 132 could well go down as the lowest in the three-year-old tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. with the ace shotmaker from Negros expected to go for a new scoring record and post a new winning mark in one season in today's final round.
Marvin Dumandan won three leg titles last year.
Ababa, who matched Pagunsan's 66 Wednesday despite a late tee off, started out early yesterday but came up with just one birdie after seven holes at the front before fumbling with a 9 on the par-4 No. 8 when he drove into the hazard, hit his third shot into a stymied lie and took a penalty.
He then dumped his approach shot into the greenside bunker and three-putted although he made two birdies in the last six holes to salvage a two-over 74 for second at four-under 140.
Michael Bibat, the former Asian Games bronze medalist still in search of a big win in the pro ranks, shot a two-under 70 for joint third with former national team mainstay Jerson Balasabas, who matched par 72, at 141 while Danny Zarate turned in a second 71 for a 142 in a tie with Elmer Saban and Elmer Salvador, who carded a 72 and 73, respectively.
Teener Miguel Tabuena birdied the last three holes at the front for a 69 as he joined Zarate, Saban and Salvador in fifth.
Except for Artemio Murakami, who missed the cut pegged at 152 with an awful 80 for a 155, the top guns made it to the top 40 plus ties but all stood too far behind Pagunsan with one round left in the 54-hole P1 million event.
Frankie Minoza fired a 71 but lay 11 shots back at 143 for joint ninth with Ramil Bisera, who had a 70, and Anthony Fernando, who shot a 70, while Angelo Que, runaway winner at ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat, bounced back from an opening 78 with a 71 and made it to the final round at 149.
Art Arbole remained the top amateur at 149 after a 73, one shot ahead of Rupert Zaragoza, who stumbled with a 78 after a decent 72 for a 150.
Starting out at the backside, Pagunsan birdied Nos. 12, 13 and 16 before ramming in another eagle from just about the same distance as he did Wednesday.
He fumbled with a bogey on the par-3 No. 4, his third in two days, but recovered with another pair of birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 for a 35-31 round.
With an eight-stroke lead, Pagunsan is expected to cruise to another win in what could be a big comeback from his final round fold-up in Bacolod where he bombed out and wound up third with a final round 73 after leading the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic for the first two days.
The event is backed b MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, Empire Golf & Sports Shop, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.(pr)