Juvic strikes again, pulls out in final day

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan made another withdrawal in the middle of a big tournament, pulling out of the singles matches in the final round of The Duel – North vs South at the Alabang Country Club yesterday.

The former Asian Tour and ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour No. 1 was supposed to anchor the South team in the final flight against North’s Miguel Tabuena but team captain Jerome Delariarte said his prized ward “was not feeling well” when he fetched him in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

When they arrived at the club, Delariarte said Pagunsan told him that “he can’t play,” forcing the skipper to drive his top player back home and replace him with assistant team captain Richard Sinfuego.

The North team, led by skipper Angelo Que, approved of the substitution.

The withdrawal came two months after Pagunsan pulled out in the second round of the Solaire Open, which debuted as an Asian Tour leg, at Wack Wack to attend, according to him, to his pregnant wife who was expected to deliver their second child that week.

He also walked out of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour leg in Forest Hills in 2009 after failing to hit his strides and turning in an over-par score after nine holes.

In August 2001, Pagunsan made a last-minute withdrawal from the Aboitiz Invitational, a leg of the Asian Development Tour, in Cebu when the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. banned his personal caddy during a practice round after he refused to register him as required by the Tour rules.

The PGTI subsequently banned him for the rest of the season on the local circuit for conduct unbecoming of a professional golfer.

ICTSI, Pagunsan’s corporate benefactor, agreed to the suspension.

Pagunsan’s latest withdrawal came as a big surprise to many since the Negros Occidental ace shotmaker played solid golf and went undefeated in team play in the first two days of The Duel.

Teaming up with Rufino Bayron, they beat Tabuena and Joenard Rates, 4&3, in the first Fourball. He didn’t see action in the first Foursomes but halved their match with Carl Santos-Ocampo and Edward Reyes in the second Fourball before beating the same pair, 3&1, in the second Foursomes.