Pagunsan: A force in gale-force winds

TAGAYTAY — Rey Pagunsan bucked the winds and drizzle that bedeviled the men of the tour as he stayed on top of the heap with a gutsy one-under par 71 halfway through the 11th leg of the First Gentleman’s Professional Golf Circuit at the Midlands Course here.

The light rain added to the woes of the competing field already hampered by the tricky putting surface and howling winds that blew all day yesterday. But Pagunsan flashed some kind of resiliency after a bogey-double-bogey start at the frontside, the backside of his game, as he rescued pars twice and birdied two of the last five holes for a 34-37 card.

Counting his 67 Tuesday, Pagunsan now has a 36-hole aggregate of 138 as he padded his lead to three, this time over two-leg winner Benjie Magada, who matched Pagunsan’s one-under round with a 36-35 card and a 141.

"Grabe ang hangin, walang tigil maghapon. Naging mabigat pa (ang hangin) dahil umaambon kaya dapat puro low shot ang tira," said Pagunsan.

But the two-day leader said later it will be a question of putting in the last two days with the Midlands surface proving a calvary of sorts where three-putts are becoming a rule rather than exception for the pros.

"Magkakatalo na lang talaga sa putting ito. Sobrang hirap basahin ang greens. Pero importante din pag-aralang ang pin placements dahil kahit maiksi ang par-putt mo, kailangan pa rin ang malaking break," said Pagunsan, who missed the second green and three-putted for a double-bogey mishap.

Magada, playing alongside Pagunsan, mixed four birdies with a double-bogey and a bogey from a three-putt miscue on No. 5 but stayed in the hunt for a third title with a 141.

Fancied Cassius Casas moved up to third at 144 in a tie with unheralded Ramil Bisera, firing the day’s best score of 69, as he matched Pagunsan and Magada’s 71 cards to likewise set in motion his bid for a third victory in the circuit put up by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and San Miguel Beer and organized by the Federation of Golf Clubs Phils. Inc.

Richard Sinfuego matched par 72 to be at 145 while erstwhile second-running Ruben Sasutil skied to a 77 and fell to 146 that included Tony Lascuna (71), Ronald Pactolerin (70) and Cookie La’O (73).

Davidoff Tour campaigner Danny Zarate and Rodrigo Cuello both carded 74s to tow the 148 group which included Rey Alit and Roger Cabajar, who both had 77s while Mars Pucay, the player chasing a third victory in the tour, failed to recover from a so-so start as he struggled with a 75 to be at 149 with Lito Rempojo (74) and Noli Kempis (75).

Pagunsan, seeking to end a two-year title drought after winning the MRT-Southwoods Open in 2001, appeared headed for another explosive round on another cool and windy day when he came in with a 34 card after birdying Nos. 17 and 18, a par-5 hole he eagled in the first round. But a missed-green bogey on No. 1 and that three-putt mishap on the next slowed down his bid.

But he picked himself up from those couple of slips and saved pars on the next two holes before rolling a 16-foot birdie putt on No. 5. He knocked in a tap-in birdie on the par-5 6th from a solid second shot that sent his ball to within 16 feet.