Juvic fires 67 for joint sixth

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan, enjoying fine form, shot a five-under par 67 to gain a share of sixth place at the start of the rich Malaysian Open at the Saujana Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.

Korean teenage Noh Seung-yul blitzed his way to a stirring 10-under par 62 in one of the early morning flights to grab a one-stroke lead over playing partner Alexander Noren of Sweden in the $2 million event, the second leg of the 2009 Asian Tour.

But Pagunsan, coming off a joint third place finish in last week’s Asian Tour International in Thailand where he won $13,890, also went to work early at the backside of the par-72 layout, birdying Nos. 12 and 13. He lost a stroke in the next but recovered it with another birdie on the 18th before sinking three more birdies at the front for a 33-34 card.

It was an inspiring start for the 30-year-old Pagunsan, the former Asian Tour top rookie whose game took a downswing last season but opened his campaign this year with a respectable finish in Bangkok.

Frankie Miñoza, who finished in joint 25th in Thailand, matched par 72.

But the day belonged to the 17-year-old Noh, who was last season’s rookie of the year on the Asian Tour, as he came through with an eagle and nine birdies to grab the lead from Noren.

Chinese star Liang Wen-chong, the 2007 Asian Tour No. 1, carded a 65 for joint third with Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin, who was runner-up in Saujana two years ago.

“I didn’t make any mistake today and I putted really well to post a good score. I’m happy but you don’t win a tournament on the first day,” said Noh, whose 62 bettered the Saujana course mark by two shots but will not be considered an official record since the tournament used a preferred lie ruling.

“The course is not playing easy. It’s a tough course but I played extremely well. I had a lot of good fortune on the course,” he said.

An unlikely birdie on his opening hole at the par-4 10th got his round going but on the outward nine, it was Noren who set the pace with an outward 30.

“Alexander played well at the start. I wasn’t thinking of beating him but I just tried to catch him during the round. He pushed me along. I made birdie on my first hole from 15 yards which was nice. I had to hit a six iron approach under a tree and holed the long putt,” said Noh.

He eagled the par-5 No. 7 hole with a superb 2-iron approach from 250 yards that landed 15 feet from the flag and then rolled in another 12-footer on the demanding eighth hole to seal his place atop the leaderboard in the event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.