MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan goes for his third crown in the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour as he joins the chase for top honors in the P1 million ICTSI Royal Northwoods Championship firing off Wednesday at the Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club in San Rafael, Bulacan.
The 31-year-old Pagunsan has confirmed his participation in the 54-hole tournament while playing in the Taiwan Masters of the Asian Tour, where he along with the local tour’s other top guns have been playing while on a break on the ICTSI-PGT circuit.
That makes him the prohibitive favorite in the 11th leg of the tour, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., with the smooth-swinging Bacolod native out to add this week’s title to his runaway victories at Riviera last May and Apo last July.
But a slew of others, headed by defending champion Ferdie Aunzo, will be out to foil his bid for a third crown in what is expected to be another closely fought battle for the top P200,000 purse in the tournament sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
Pagunsan lost by two strokes to Jay Bayron in the last leg at the Aboitiz Invitational in Cebu last August and had another runner-up finish at Mt. Malarayat, making him the leading player in the Order of Merit ranking.
He will surely try to firm up his bid for the overall crown with only three legs left in the season, including the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge at Valley Golf Club in November and the Tour Championship in December in Canlubang, which he ruled last year.
Although Bayron and Asian Tour campaigner Angelo Que remain undecided whether or not to join or take a much needed break, the rest of the country’s top shotmakers are in the fold, including Mars Pucay, winner at Forest Hills, Tony Lascuña, Orchard leg champion Benjie Magada, Elmer Salvador, who won at Malarayat, and young turks Rufino Bayron and Antonio Asistio II.
Also on tap is the pro-am tournament tomorrow with the leading pros teaming up with the invited amateur guests from the event’s chief backers 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.
Meanwhile, reigning national champion Clyde Mondilla and Jobim Carlos, fresh from leading RP to the championship in the Lion City Cup last Friday, head the roster of amateurs seeing action in the event. The others are Dante Becierra, Peter Villaber, Joey Huerva, Art Arbole, Paul Echavez and Fil-Am Carl Santos-Ocampo.