Juvic ties for 24th in Thailand Golf

JUVIC Pagunsan closed with an even par 72 yesterday to finish as the top Filipino campaigner in the Thailand Golf Championship in Chonburi.

With his earlier rounds of 72-70-69, Pagunsan tied for 24th place with a 72-hole total of 283, a stroke ahead of compatriot Angelo Que, who rallied with a 69 for 284. Antonio Lascuña also carded a final-round 72 for 286.

Jamie Donaldson of Wales won the tournament with a 21-under 267 total.

The three Filipinos used the tournament as warmup for this week’s 98th Philippine Open set to start Thursday at Luisita Golf and Country Club inside the Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.

The 72-hole event presented by ICTSI offers a top prize of $60,000 from the total purse of $300,000. It is the final leg of this year’s Asia Golf Circuit.

Meanwhile in Orlando, Florida, Vijay and Qass Singh eagled the par-5 18th hole for a 13-under 59 and a two-stroke lead Saturday in the PNC Father/Son Challenge scramble event.

Vijay made the eagle putt after Qass hit a 6-iron from 189 yards to 15 feet.

“I always enjoy playing with my dad,” Qass said.

The Singhs also had 11 birdies at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.

“Qass drove the ball beautifully,” Vijay said. “When he catches the drive, it goes for a ride. He left me with a lot of nice second shots. He actually played well and made a lot of birdies on his own and took a lot of pressure off me. The second shot on the last hole tells it all.”

Davis and Dru Love, Lanny and Tucker Wadkins, and Steve and Sam Elkington were tied for second in the 36-hole tournament. Nick and Matthew Faldo, Fred and Taylor Funk, Larry and Drew Nelson, and Lee and Connor Janzen were another stroke back at 10 under.

“We had a slow start,” Davis Love III said. “We had a chip-in at 16 that really fired us up and we birdied the last few. It was a great way to finish.”

Defending champions Bernhard and Jason Langer were tied for ninth at 63.

Jack and Gary Nicklaus were tied for 14th at 64.

“I actually hit the ball pretty decent,” Jack Nicklaus said. “We got off to a good start, but we didn’t do a whole lot. Gary wasn’t totally on his game and didn’t carry his dad as much as I’d thought he would and his dad didn’t respond when he didn’t carry me.

Neither one of us were quite there today, but we had a good time. We made a few putts. We’re two or three shots from being really right there. We just have to be there tomorrow.”   With a report from AP