Juvic ‘eagles’ way to ICTSI crown

DASMARIÑAS, Cavite—Juvic Pagunsan turned the Palmer layout upside down yesterday, shooting a course record nine-under-par 63 to win the ICTSI Orchard Championship by five shots over Elmer Salvador.

The 33-year-old was flawless on a perfect day for scoring, shooting an eagle-aided front nine 30 to erase a four-stroke overnight deficit before gunning down three more birds coming home to tally a 54-hole 201 total worth P450,000.

Pagunsan, who knew that he was playing his best despite finishing 22nd in the recent Philippine Open, knocked a 6-iron from 192 yards to within a pin on the par-5 second hole for the eagle that jump-started his round and made everyone in the field eat his dust.

“I knew that I was hitting it well and it just happened that I got everything going today,” Pagunsan, the Asian Tour’s top rookie in 2007, said in Filipino. “After the front nine, I knew I had a chance of winning.”

Salvador, the former Philippine Open champion who gutted out a 65 to take a three-shot lead over Antonio Lascuña after Thursday’s second round, was only able to match par and finish second five strokes behind.

Lascuña, meanwhile, managed a 71 to finish third at 208, a stroke ahead of the legendary Frankie Miñoza, the joint first round leader who closed out with a 69 in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, Mizuno, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports.

It was another sorry ending for Salvador, who put himself in position to win since that infamous disqualification at Del Monte close to a year ago. He settled for the P320,000 runner-up’s purse.