ICTSI Tour-Northwoods leg on today; Pagunsan favored

MANILA—The ICTSI Tour resumes Wednesday after a month-long break, with Juvic Pagunsan tipped as the player to beat in the Royal Northwoods championships in San Rafael, Bulacan, where Ferdie Aunzo is the defending champion. Pagunsan, the Asian Tour’s former Rookie of the Year, is flashing sharp form after coming off high finishes before the circuit took a break after the Aboitiz Cebu Country Club leg, where he wound up a fighting second to Jay Bayron. He became the circuit’s first repeat champion by successfully defending the Apo Golf leg two months ago, and the relative calm conditions prevalent at the Northwoods layout certainly gives him an advantage this week. But that doesn’t mean that it will be a cakewalk for the 31-year-old native of Bacolod, as Aunzo tries to duplicate Pagunsan’s feat by repeating, even as a slew of others are also entered in the event organized by the Pilipinas Golf Tour. Aunzo broke through as a pro in this tournament after rallying to nip Rey Pagunsan by a stroke last year. But he will be hard-pressed to repeat, as he has been struggling with his game of late, failing to seriously contend for a crown since then. Juvic Pagunsan, meanwhile, is lording it over the Order of Merit race, and it is a safe bet that he will pad his lead with the second-running Artemio Murakami not in the field because of prior international commitments. Reigning Philippine Open champion Elmer Salvador, who got disqualified at Del Monte two months ago, Antonio Lascuña and Orchard leg winner Benjie Magada are also players to watch. The tournament’s other backers are MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners  Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource.