Juvic surges to 5-shot romp over Bayron

Juvic Pagunsan scored an expected romp in the Canlubang Amateur Open Golf Championships, firing a closing four-under par 68 yesterday and beating club teammate Jay Bayron by five strokes at the south course of the Canlubang golf complex in Laguna.

A fiery 67 in the third round set the stage for Pagunsan’s runaway triumph in the four-day tournament he was heavily favored to win owing to his talent, skills and familiarity with the course he calls home.

An early rush of birdies by Pagunsan in the final day easily erased the one-stroke lead Bayron had tried to protect with the former finishing with a 278 aggregate that included a so-so 73 in the first round and a 70 halfway through the tournament.

Bayron simply failed to match Pagunsan’s birdie-binge and limped home with a 74 for a 283 as he settled for second place.

Manila Southwoods bets Gene Bondoc and Michael Bibat shared third place at even-par 288 after identical 73s while Hanson So, Jr., also of Southwoods, finished in joint fifth with Royal Northwoods’ Kim Chang-ho at 289.

Meanwhile, Takeshi Tozawa led the winners in the 36-hole competitions, ruling the Championship Group II with 150 aggregate for a two-shot win over Mari Hechanova (152) and six over Rolly Viray (156).

Other winners were Oca Soriano (147-Class A), Vic Onella (164-Class B), Lim Jung-tae (169-Class C), and Galiciano Castañeda (176-Class D). Cynthia Dayrit topped the class division for women with 161, beating Virgie Burgos (144) and Marita Espiel (151).