Juvic Pagunsan merits PSA Presidential Award

MANILA, Philippines—Chalk up one more accolade for golfer Juvic Pagunsan.

Pagunsan will be bestowed the Presidential Achievement Award by the Philippine Sportswriters Association on the heels of his historic campaign in the Asian Tour.

The shotmaker from Bacolod, along with the country’s top sporting achievers, will take centerstage in the PSA Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on March 3.

Pagunsan, 33, emerged as the unanimous choice for the award after becoming the first Filipino to be named as the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit champion after Frankie Miñoza, who was honored when the event was still known as the Asian Golf Circuit. Pagunsan was also considered for the Athlete of the Year award.

“As one of our sporting greats who brought honor and pride to the country last year in the world of golf, Juvic Pagunsan is truly deserving of the PSA’s Presidential Achievement Award,” said Rey Bancod of Tempo, president of the country’s oldest media organization first established in 1949 and composed of editors and sportswriters from national broadsheets and tabloids.

Boxer Nonito Donaire Jr. and billiards’ world no. 1 player Dennis Orcollo have been named Athletes of the Year and will receive their awards in the two-hour show presented by Smart, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation, Harbour Centre, SM Prime Holdings, Philippine Basketball Association, Milo, ICTSI and Coca-Cola.

A total of 19 athletes representing different sports will be given major awards during the show that will be keynoted by Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Pagunsan joins global boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, the Philippine Azkals, four-time PBA MVP Alvin Patrimonio, Ateneo Blue Eagles team, Senator Manny Villar, and the world women’s trio champion of Liza Del Rosario, Liza Clutario and Cecilia Yap as recipients of the Presidential Award.

Pagunsan, flashing the consistency rarely seen in the game, topped the Asian rankings with substantial earnings of $788,298 (P34 million) after top 10 finishes in the Taiwan Mercuries Masters, Barclay’s Singapore Classic and UBS Hong Kong Open.

The highlight of his year came in the rich Singapore Open, where he was in the running for the $1 million purse before yielding to Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño of Spain in a playoff.

Still, the $600,000 prize he won was enough to boost him from 64th to the top of the rankings.