Juvic takes charge with 4-shot edge

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan zeroed in on the Mercedes-Benz Masters Thailand crown as he fired a five-under 65 to wrest a four-stroke lead over Pattaraphol Khanthacha and Udorn Duangdecha of Thailand at the Laguna Golf and Country Club in Phuket, Thailand yesterday.

Pagunsan, who trailed Khanthacha by one stroke at the halfway mark of the $60,000 tournament, the fourth leg of the Mercedes-Benz Tour, birdied four of the first eight holes to take charge then rammed in two more birdies in the last nine holes to pull away from the Thai duo.

With a 14-under 196 aggregate, the smooth-swinging ICTSI-backed pro posted a four-shot lead over Khanthacha, who slid to second with an even par 70, and Duangdecha, who rallied with a four-under 66 to move in joint second at 200.

Amateur Pinsawat Pariwat later shot a 67 to join Khanthacha and Duangdecha in second.

But Pagunsan is expected to hold off the Thais’ charges in the final round today as he tries to become the second Filipino to win in this year’s Mercedes-Benz Tour after Artemio Murakami came from behind to nip Jay Bayron at the Mercedes-Benz Masters Philippines at the Manila Southwoods last April.

The 31-year-old Pagunsan is also eyeing his second big win after ruling the Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational, a leg of the Asian Tour, in 2007. He also topped the 2007 Negeri Masters in Malaysia and the PGAM-KRPM Golf Classic in Malaysia early this year.

He opened with a four-under 66 this week then turned in a bogey free 65 Thursday to move within one of Khanthacha, who failed to match Pagunsan’s sizzling start with bogeys on Nos. 5 and 7.

Pagunsan birdied the opening hole then added two birdies on Nos. 4, 5 and 8 to wrest control. He reeled back with a bogey on the tough par-4 ninth but steadied himself with birdies on Nos. 13 and 18 and a slew of pars to post a commanding lead. 

Bayron matched par 70 and stood in joint 12th at 208, 12 stroke off Pagunsan, while Murakami carded a 71 and was too far behind at 211.