Pagunsan leads uncle by six shots

CANLUBANG – Unless heaven forbids, Juvic Pagunsan should nail his second The Country Club Invitational golf crown today, and go home richer by P1.3 million.

The young star from Bacolod frolicked under the sun yesterday, shooting a five-under-par 65 for a six-stroke lead over his uncle, Rey Pagunsan, heading into the final 18 holes.

“I need a miracle to win,” said the elder Pagunsan, explaining that erasing such a final-round deficit against a player as steady as his nephew is like hoping for a miracle.

The leader, who won the title as a rookie pro in 2006, once again turned the panoramic TCC course into his playground as the dreaded winds that swept the field the other day blew on and off.

Pagunsan made difficult putts look easy. On the ninth and 16th, he made sidehill birdies from inside 10 feet, but never pumped his fist like he did after a final-hole eagle that won him a tournament in Indonesia last year.

Maybe he’s saving it for today or not until he holes out assured of the victory and another million-peso paycheck put up by businessman and TCC owner Enrique Razon.

“You just can’t say that it’s yours. In golf, everyday is a different day. You can’t say you have any advantage in this type of a course,” said Pagunsan, who came so close to a new course record.

Pagunsan had another bogey less round as he also hit birdies on Nos. 3, 4 and 14, two of them from inside seven feet. He missed birdie tries on a couple of holes, two of them from within four feet.

Cassius Casas, the inaugural champ in 2003, is at 211 after a 71, followed by Benjie Magada (69), Antonio Lascuna (72) and Mars Pucay (74) at 212, Jay Bayron (73) at 213 and amateur Ferdie Aunzo (71) at 214.

Frankie Miñoza, the idol of many, made a run of his own with his three-day best of 68. But at 215, just good for solo 10th, the bemedalled Asian Tour veteran is a mile and 14 strokes behind Pagunsan.

Pucay, just two strokes off Pagunsan after two rounds, turned cold on the green, missing numerous putts, including real close ones, to trail by 11 strokes at the end of the day.

Que, nine strokes behind, sounded happy just to be in today’s championship flight with the Pagunsans.

“Malayo na (It’s far),” said Que as he left the clubhouse, ready to light his cigarette.

The next best amateurs in the field are Gene Bondoc (76-218), Anya Tanpinco (72-219), Rufino Bayron (70-219) and reigning RP Ladies Open queen Chihiro Ikeda (72-220).