Juvic slips, settles for solo third

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan ran out of holes in his comeback bid, carding a one-under 70 for solo third in the Queens Cup 2010 topped by Tetsuji Hiratsuka of Japan on a birdie-birdie windup at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Thailand yesterday.

Tied for the lead with Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng at the start of the final round, Pagunsan reeled back with two early bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4 and hardly recovered until he fired two birdies on Nos. 15 and 17 to close within one.

But he settled for par on the par-5 18th, which he birdied in the first three days, for that 70, enabling Hiratsuka to clinch a one-shot victory over Thai Thaworn Wiratchnag with that birdie-birdie windup.

Hiratsuka rallied with a 67 to claim the victory on a 273 aggregate, one shot clear off Wiratchant, who had a 274 after a 68.

Pagunsan wound up with a 275 and took home $18,300 (P841,000).

Marksaeng limped home with a two-over 73 and slipped to joint sixth with Chinnarat Phasungsil, who had a 71, at 278.

Mars Pucay matched par 71 to finish with a 283 for joint 16th while Jay Bayron made a 74 for a 286 and a share of 24th.

It was a sorry setback for Pagunsan, who had looked forward to ending a three-year title drought on the Asian Tour and scoring a follow up to his runaway triumph in the Mercedes-Benz Tour leg in Thailand two weeks ago.