Chan scores maiden pro victory, nips Pagunsan

Aidric Chan is now a pro champ. —ADT PHOTO

Rookie Filipino pro Aidric Chan broke through in a big way on Friday after nipping seasoned countryman Juvic Pagunsan and two foreigners for the Asian Development Tour’s (ADT) Lexus Challenge title at The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram in Vietnam.

Chan fired a four-under-par 67 capped by a critical par on the 54th hole to turn back Japan Tour veteran Pagunsan, Filip Lundell of Sweden and England’s Sam Broadhurst by a stroke for a 205 tally in the $90,000 event.

“I feel really great,” Chan, who finished in the Top 10 of the Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods two months ago, told the ADT website. “I hit a lot of good shots today and had a lot of luck.

The win was the first by a Filipino in the international scene after Miguel Tabuena’s Asian Tour triumph in New Delhi two years ago.

“For some part of the round I thought I was a little out of it but I’m really happy that those good shots really came through for me today.”

Lundell and Broadhurst returned level 71s, while Pagunsan, whose group with Chan was a flight ahead of the second-round leaders, also had a 67.

Chan holed out for an eagle 2 on 14, and two straight bogeys by Pagunsan from the 13th had the younger Filipino taking the lead.