Pagunsan cops RP Amateur title over Malaysian

BACOLOD — Juvic Pagunsan won a fourth championship for the year and the one missing jewel in a fabled career, running roughshod over game Malaysian Siva Chandhran, 6-and-5, in the Philippine Amateur finals yesterday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club course here.

The 27-year-old Pagunsan came out for the final 18 with all guns cocked and firing, overwhelming the Malaysian No. 2 with a brilliant all-around game that turned an all-square match from the 19th hole into a rout.

"Marami na akong tournament na napanalunan, pero eto na ang pinaka-masarap," Pagunsan said after eight fruitless years in this event. "Pinasarap pa siya dahil nandito sa Bacolod, ang hometown ko."

Pagunsan had won the Malaysian and Thailand Amateurs and the DHL Amateurs earlier in the year. He came into this tournament fully prepared, knowing that this is his final shot with thoughts of turning pro early next year.

"Maganda ang nilaro ko. Pinaghandaan ko ito," Pagunsan said. "Eto kasi yung magku-kumpleto nung grand slam ko."

Pagunsan zoomed to a 6-up lead in a span of 11 holes from No. 2 in the afternoon, gunning down birdies with impunity and playing almost perfectly, which put the Malaysian national coach in awe.

"He (Pagunsan) was very hot, there was no way anyone could have beaten him today," said Andrew Argus. "Juvic was a cut above the rest of the field."

Chandhran was actually bidding to become the first foreigner to win this event after Andrew Drage, a countryman of Argus, ruled it in 1969 at the Valley Golf Club.

Meanwhile, Mario Labajo, a former caddy at the nine-hole Matina layout in Davao and one of three entries of the National Caddies‚ Open program, won third place after a 3-and-2 victory over JR Tanpinco.

Labajo broke out hard and built a 3-up lead right after the first nine to establish control and win second runner-up honors in the event backed by ICTSI, San Miguel Corp., Petron Blaze, the DOT, PCSO, Aboitiz Group, Hanjin and PAL and organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Chandhran held a 3-up lead after the first five holes, when Pagunsan sprayed his drive on No. 2 out of bounds and when the Filipino ace missed the green on the par-3 third hole.

But Pagunsan quickly erased that and went 2-up after birdies on the 15th and 16th holes. The Malaysian squared the match heading into the afternoon with two clutch shots on the par-5 18th.

After pulling his second shot so bad he almost hit the first tee, Siva hit a lovely lob over a huge tree, sending the ball to within 20 feet for an uphill putt, which he made for birdie.