Juvic threatens at 2nd after 66

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan birdied the last three holes to shoot a five-under 66 and moved within one stroke behind local favorite Hiroyuki Fujita halfway through the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club in Hyogo, Japan yesterday.

Five shots off the pace at the start of the round, Pagunsan went on a bogey-birdie-bogey start but gunned down six birdies the rest of the way, including a missed eagle opportunity from 25 feet on the 18th hole.

“My approach shot landed on a slope (18th) and the ball could have rolled into the water but it went towards the green instead. I had a chance for eagle but settled for an easy birdie instead. I’ll take that,” said Pagunsan, who finished second at the Queen’s Cup in Thailand on the Asian Tour in June.

That birdie capped a three-string windup by the reigning Asian Tour No. 1 for that 66 and a nine-under 133 as he joined Aussie Darren Beck (65) and Koumei Oda (69) in second, just a stroke off Fujita took the second round lead with a 68 and a 132 in the $1.9 million event.

India’s Shiv Kapur battled through fatigue and jetlag for 68 and was three shots off the pace at 135 followed by Asian Tour rookie David Lipsky (64) of the United States and Japanese stalwart Ryo Ishikawa (65), who were a further shot back at 135.

Overnight leader Yuta Ikeda, who shot an opening round 62, slipped back with a 76 for tied 24th place with Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Thai duo Prayad Marksaeng and Chinnarat Phadungsil at 148 in the 72-hole championship sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

Fujita, a two-time Asian Tour winner, is aiming for a fourth victory in Japan this week and fuelled his ambitions when he birdied the last hole for a 10-under-par 132 total.

Despite playing some of his best golf this week, Pagunsan played down his chances of ending a five-year title drought on the Asian Tour.

“I’ve been hitting the ball good so hopefully I can hang in there. I’m always waiting for my chance on the last day. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and think that I can win yet,” said the 34-year-old, who won the Order of Merit last season courtesy of a runner-up finish at the lucrative Barclays Singapore Open.