Pagunsan runaway OOM leader

MANILA—Going into the final three legs of the ICTSI Pro Golf Circuit, it is now a catch-Juvic Pagunsan race for the Order of Merit crown.   With victories in the Riviera and Apo legs and second place finishes at Mt. Malarayat and Cebu, Pagunsan has now earned  P917,332 with Jay Bayron more than P100,000 behind going into the Royal Northwoods stop next week.   Bayron, who won the Cebu leg over Pagunsan, has P809,317 for the year with Artemio Murakami  running third with P730,310 on the strength of his scintillating come-from-behind win in the Mercedes-Benz leg at the Orchard several months back.   Reigning Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador won the OOM last year, but the late-blooming Davao native has just a P522,644 total for fifth, his cause dampened by that final round brouhaha in Del Monte where he, Pagunsan and Richard Sinfuego were disqualified for a breach of a golf rule.   Had Pagunsan finished second in Del Monte, Juvic would have had a sizeable lead over everyone else.   Mars Pucay, who snapped a long local domestic spell at Forest Hills in Antipolo, is in fourth , spot with more than P650,000, with Antonio Lascuna in sixth at P489,964, Ferdie Aunzo in seventh with P458,164 and Cassius Casas (P418,769), Angelo Que (P405,571) and Benjie Magada (346,850) rounding out the Top 10.   Casas’ earnings was boosted by his unlikely win in Del Monte while Magada triumphed at the Orchard, making the 46-year-old the oldest winner on the tour this season.   The Royal Northwoods leg in Bulacan tees off Tuesday next week with the Pro-Am event, while the Valley Golf and Canlubang legs will be held Nov. 10-12 and Dec. 8-10, respectively.