SILANG, Cavite—Juvic Pagunsan played according to pretournament hype under different conditions on Wednesday, shooting a three-under-par 68 for a one-stroke lead over Dutchman Guido Van der Valk and two others at the start of the ICTSI Riviera Challenge.
The sweet-swinging Pagunsan drained a slippery 10-footer for birdie on the 18th to cap a 34-34 effort as he downplayed his label as one of the favorites over the windswept Langer course here, leading Van der Valk and Rico Depilo and Rupert Zaragosa.
Angelo Que, the other Japan Tour regular who was installed as a solid pick to crowd Pagunsan, struggled to a 72 and was four strokes back, even as Art Arbole, Jay Bayron and Japan’s Makoto Iwasaki shot 70s to be two adrift.
Que, who thumped a tougher field at Southwoods last month, had four bogeys against three birdies as downpours, wind and some sun made the well-manicured layout play even tougher.
This will be Pagunsan’s last tournament before he leaves next week to resume his campaign in Japan, and he knows that his game is getting there owing to his form of late.
Reigning Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla matched par to round out the top 10 tied with Reymon Jaraula and Arnold Villacencio.
Depilo birdied the 15th and 16th holes to climb into a tie with Zaragosa and Van der Valk.