Juvic up against top 50 in world championship

MANILA, Philippines - At world number 172, he’s probably the least fancied player in the elite 74-man field teeing off in the World Golf Championship in Florida Thursday (Friday in Manila). But Juvic Pagunsan is unfazed by the opposition, the challenge and the long, hazard-laden TPC Blue Monster layout.

In fact, he said he expects to figure well in the top-level tournament in chilly Doral simply because he’s been playing well.

“I expect to score well as I’m hitting it well,” Pagunsan told The STAR two days before he sets out for the biggest tournament of his flourishing career.

Rightly so, with the world’s top 50 in the fold, including newly installed No. 1 Rory McIlroy and former top players Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, the smooth swinging Filipino shotmaker is in for a very challenging week – against a field he could only dream of.

Sure, he saw action in the Dubai Desert Classic last month, which also featured some of the world’s best, where he missed the cut. But the world championship field is perhaps three-deep – in terms of talent, skills and prestige.

Ranged against taller, heftier rivals, the reed-thin Pagunsan said he could measure up with majority of the field in length but stressed the need to polish his putting stroke which he feels would be key to his campaign.

“The Blue Monster is very long and guarded by lots of water. But yes, my length is at par with the others except for the really long players. Putting will be the key though,” said Pagunsan, who clinched a rare stint at the worlds by topping last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Four days in upscale suburb of Miami, Pagunsan is still trying to acclimatize.

“It’s cold in the morning and evening. I’m still trying to cope with the change of weather,” he said.

With new handler Bones Floro, Pagunsan spent the first day on the range and putting green Monday then sampled the TPC Monster for two days, finding the course real long and the greens to his liking.

“The greens are very similar to Sta. Elena where I’ve been practicing,” said Pagunsan, thrilled over his keenly awaited stint with the world’s best and proud having represented the Philippines in an event of this magnitude.

“I’m very proud to see our country’s flag raised at the main area along with the other flags of the participants,” said Pagunsan, also the top player in last year’s ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour who draws inspiration from wife Maria Elena and daughter LJ.

He drew a rather late tee start at 12:20 p.m. on No. 10 when conditions are expected to get tougher and will have Francesco Molinari of Italy and Aussie Marcus Fraser as partners, players ranked 45th and 98th in the world, respectively, three flights behind the group of McIlroy, Westwood and former No. 1 Luke Donald.