Pagunsan seeks 2nd ICTSI title in row

BUKIDNON, Philippines – The P1 million ICTSI Del Monte Golf Championship unwraps today with red-hot Juvic Pagunsan going for rare back-to-back victories against a souped-up field at the Del Monte Golf Club in Kawayanon, Manolo Fortich here.

Former Philippine Open champion Angelo Que and Mercedez-Benz Tour campaigner Jay Bayron are in this week’s roster after skipping the ICTSI Apo leg last week, which Pagunsan dominated with a final round brilliance to win by four strokes over Ferdie Aunzo and Elmer Saban.

The win made Pagunsan the first player to defend a crown on the three-year-old tour with the Bacolod pro, who also topped the ICTSI Riviera leg, hoping to become the first player to win three leg titles in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Pagunsan’s latest victory also vaulted him to the top of the Order of Merit rankings with P797.332 winnings, dropping erstwhile frontrunner Artemio Murakami to second with P660,310. Mars Pucay, who ended a long title drought at ICTSI-Forest Hills leg, is in third with P627,517 earnings.

 “I haven’t played this course (Del Monte) since my amateur days so I can’t really tell my chances,” said Pagunsan, who turned pro in 2006. “Besides, there’s a lot of players capable of winning here.”

They include Que, who despite being slowed down by poor form after romping off with The Country Club Invitational crown in January has remained one of the favorites in the 54-hole tournament, together with Bayron, who continued to hone his talent and skills by competing on the M-Benz Tour, where he had posted three runner-up finishes.

Other fancied players out to foil Pagunsan’s back-to-back title bid in the ninth leg of the circuit sponsored by ICTSI and backed by MJ Carr Golf Management, Jaguar, Land Rover, Studio 23, Balls TV, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Callaway Golf, Odyssey and Golf Punk and media partners Business Mirror, Inquirer Golf Monthly, A Round of Golf, Pinoygolfer.com and Omnisource, are Tony Lascuña, Artemio Murakami, Elmer Salvador, Mars Pucay, Benjie Magada, Cassius Casas and Aunzo.

“I think my chances here is better than anywhere else in the circuit,” said Casas, who claimed to have won twice here during the Philip Morris Golf Tour in the mid-1990s, which he dominated for years, in Filipino.

Others expected to contend for the top P200,000 purse are Danny Zarate, Omar Dungca, Rey Pagunsan, Richard Sinfuego, Robert Pactolerin, Joel Opaco, Orlan Sumcad and Jun Bernis.

A wide open race is also expected in the amateur side with some of the leading players in the fold, including reigning champion and club bet Clyde Mondilla, who won here last May, and ICTSI pool bets Peter Villaber and Erwin Madrileno and former national titlist Mhark Fernando, Jhonnel Ababa and Jerson Balasabas,

“I’m not going to put pressure on myself. I’ll just play my game and see what happens,” said Pagunsan, who hopes to reach peak form when he resumes his Masters in Kuala Lumpur.