Pagunsan leaps to 8th in Asian elims

Juvic Pagunsan served notice of his bid not only for an Asian Tour card but also for top honors in the Qualifying School Final Stage when he shot a stirring seven-under par 65 yesterday to virtually clinch a spot among the top 40.

After a couple of 71s that easily qualified him in the final two rounds of the tough four-day elims among 217 aspirants from all over, the 27-year-old Pagunsan proved he’s ready for the big time by firing the day’s best score at the Cempaka course to leapfrog from joint 50th to a share of eighth place at 207.

That put the SEA Games gold medalist to within five strokes of Australians Anthony Brown and Brad Kennedy and Lee Sung-man of Korea, who shared the lead with 202s heading into the final round of the event which stakes 40 Asian Tour cards.

Brown also fired a 65 at the adjacent Allamanda course while Lee and Kennedy had 70 and 71, respectively.

Pagunsan, raring to join the big guns in the money-rich pro tour, hopes to sustain his charge in the company of Robin Hodgetts of Australia and Ari Savolainen of Finland and in a bid to put himself in contention for the top spot.

But while Pagunsan sizzled, the four other Filipino hopefuls sputtered and in danger of missing the top 40 cast.