DAVAO, Philippines – Juvic Pagunsan threatened to blow away the field with a three-under par 69, stretching his overnight three-shot lead to five with one round left in the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour’s Apo Classic at the Apo Golf and Country Club course here yesterday.
The 30-year-old Pagunsan, chasing his first title in the revival of the local tour, continued to dominate his rivals with his accurate driving and superb iron play, birdying two of the last three holes to shoot a 34-35 for a 36-hole aggregate of 135.
With a five-stroke lead over new pursuer Jerome Delariarte and barring any major disaster, Pagunsan is tipped to run away with the top P200,000 purse in the 54-hole event serving as the third leg of a 10-stage circuit sponsored by ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.).
Delariarte, who finished second to amateur Rufino Bayron in the Valley leg of last year’s three-stage ICTSI-RP Tour, matched Pagunsan’s three-under card, birdying Nos. 17 and 18 and adding another one on No. 8 on his homeward trip for that 69 and a 140.
Antolin Fernando, impressive with a 69 in the first round, fought back with a 35 at the back with birdies on Nos. 16 and 18 to match par 72 although he slid one rung below to third with a 141.
Artemio Murakami, the other fancied bet in the field with an US Open stint, couldn’t get his rhythm going and settled for a two-birdie, one-bogey stint for a second straight 71 and a 142. He forced a three-way tie for fourth with Erwin Vinluan and Elmer Salvador, who took up the cudgels for the local bets who continued to struggle on a course they call home.
Salvador, who finished runner-up to Marvin Dumandan here late last year, also carded a one-under 71 while Vinluan, the former RP team mainstay, rallied with a 34 to likewise shoot a 71.
Jun Bernis failed to sustain his first round charge of 70 as he bogeyed two of the last three holes at the front for a 74, dropping to joint seventh at 144, nine shots off the pace.
Others with even-par totals were former national champion Ferdie Aunzo, who matched par 72, and veteran Ruben Sasutil, who leaned on a solid backside stint of 34 to cushion the impact of his faltering finish at the front for a 71.
Dumandan, the leading player in the current Order of Merit ranking with one victory and one runner-up finish, gunned down three birdies in the last five holes to shoot a one-under 71 in one of the late flights and join Bernis and company in seventh.
Forty-seven players, including four amateurs, made the cut at 151 with local aces Tony Lascuna (74-150) and Cassius Casas (73-150) salvaging spots in the final 18 holes of the tournament backed by MJ Carr Golf Management and supported by Pisanti, The Country Club, Srixon, FAMI, Business Mirror, Motorola, Omnisource and Pepsico.
ICTSI’s Peter Villaber was the leading amateur in joint 14th with a 146 after a 71.