Juvic Pagunsan stays in hunt with 69

MANILA, Philippines — Juvic Pagunsan slowed down with a 69 but stayed at second in the TOP Cup Tokai Classic still led by Shingo Katayama in Japan while Miguel Tabuena turned from awesome to awful with a 77 in the Mercuries Masters in Taiwan yesterday.

After an opening 66, Pagunsan settled for a 34-35 card he laced with six scrambling pars that kept him within sight of Katayama at 135. The Japanese ace also failed to sustain a solid opening 64 but his 68 proved enough to pad his lead to three at 132 heading to the weekend play of the $1 million event of the Japan PGA Tour.

Angelo Que, who shot a 68 in the first round, recovered from a two-bogey mishap after six holes with five birdies to save a 69 for joint fifth with five others at 137.

Over at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club, Tabuena stumbled with a four-over card after five holes at the back in tough conditions and never recovered, dropping another stroke on the first hole and finishing without a birdie for that five-over card that dropped him from joint first to a share of 16th at 145, now four strokes behind the leaders.