‘At home’ Juvic Pagunsan fires 66, leads by 1

BACOLOD—Playing in a homecoming tournament of sorts, Juvic Pagunsan did not disappoint.

The hottest player on the ICTSI Tour, Pagunsan yesterday churned out a near-perfect four-under-par 66 that gave him a one-shot lead over Antonio Lascuña at the start of the Negros Occidental Challenge at tight Marapara course here. Pagunsan opened with a birdie and closed with a sidehill 7-footer to save par on the long, par-5 18th for nines of 33-33 to take command in his first tournament over the course where he won his only Philippine Amateur title in 2005. “It could have been better because I am still trying to fine-tune my irons,” said Pagunsan, whose longest birdie putt came from just four feet, in Filipino. He is using S56 Ping irons for just the second tournament. Lascuña also had four birdies but three-putted the eighth green from about 30 feet to miss tying Pagunsan for the lead. Rufino Bayron, who gunned down birdies on his first four holes, finished bogey-par-bogey to settle for a 68, two shots behind. Seven players cracked par and the same number returned level 70s as the field encountered contrasting fortunes over the slow greens of the 6,197-yard layout. Anthony Fernando finished tied with Bayron, while Mars Pucay, Gene Bondoc and Robert Pactolerin, the 50-year-old former Philippine Open champion, submitted 69s to be within striking range. “The course, though short, is not that easy,” Lascuña, who wielded a hot putter by draining birdie putts as long as 16 feet, said in Filipino. “It’s very difficult to putt because we are used to playing sleek, fast greens.” There were a number of players who elected to hit driver off most tee mounds, like Pagunsan who landed his drive on the 328-yard first hole just around the green for that four-foot birdie. The event, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., is also backed by MJ Carr Golf management, Inc., Srixon, Callaway, Unilab, BDO, Titleist, Sharp, Custom Clubmakers, PinoyGolfer.com, Inquirer Golf, Omnisource International, A Round of Golf, Studio 23, Balls, and Dynamic Sports. The leading scores:
66—J. Pagunsan 33-33; 67—A. Lascuna 35-32; 68—R. Bayron 31-37, A. Fernando 34-34; 69—M. Pucay 34-35, G. Bondoc 34-35, Rob Pactolerin 33-36; 70— M. Fernando 35-35, R. Lam 34-36, R. Ortega 34-36, C. La’O 35-35, C. Santos-Ocampo 34-36, Rod Cuello 34-36, J. Opaco 34-36; 71—J. Balasabas 32-39, E. Salvador 32-39, R. Ardimer 36-35, R. Sinfuego 34-37, R. Bolano 35-36, M. Dumandan 38-33, G. Sinfuego 36-35, F. Aunzo 35-36, R. Sasutil 35-36; 72—A. Murakami 35-37, P. Miñoza 35-37, A. Cruz 34-38, F. Santia 37-35, G. Santiago 35-37; 73—R. Jaraulla (Am) 33-40, Z. Gialon (Am) 32-41, P. Echavez 37-36, B. Magada 36-37, C. Park (Kor) 38-35, J. Ababa 35-38.