Juvic rallies; poor weather halts play

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan birdied No. 12 to card a one-under card when play was stopped due to weather condition with six holes left to play in the Tsuruya Open at the Yamanohara Golf Club still paced by Masashi Ozaki in Hyogo, Japan yesterday.

Pagunsan, who opened with a five-under 66 Thursday, bogeyed two of the first holes but struck with three straight birdies from No. 6 before dropping another shot on the ninth to make the turn at level 35.

After two pars at the back, the ace Filipino shotmaker rolled in another birdie on the 12th for a running six-under total when the round was suspended due to lightning with half of the starting field of 143 still to complete play.

Seong Ho Lee had a three-under card after six holes while Hideki Matsuyama sizzled with a six-under after 14 holes to share the clubhouse lead at eight-under.

Three players had running seven-under cards while five others joined Pagunsan in provisional eighth place in the rich event offering a total prize fund of $1.2 million.