Pagunsan seeks to regain Asian Tour card

MANILA, Philippines – Juvic Pagunsan, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2011 without winning a leg, bids to rejoin the region’s premier circuit as he vies in the Final Stage of the Qualifying School, which fires off Tuesday at two courses in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Despite being the top earner in the Asian Tour, Pagunsan chose to campaign in the more lucrative Japan Golf Tour, ending a decade-long search for a championship in the Mizuno Open last 2021. He nailed his second Japan crown in 2023.

The 45-year-old Negrense has opted to test his mettle once again on the Asian Tour, leading 218 other players disputing 35 slots in the five-day elims at the Springfield Royal Country Club’s B and C nines, and the Lake View Resort and Golf Club’s A and B layouts.

Other Filipino entries are Philippine Golf Tour regulars Lloyd Go, Justin Quiban and Sean Ramos and amateur standout Aidric Chan.

Pagunsan drew Taiwanese Lin Yung-lung and Tsutomu Kikuta from Japan in the 12:20 p.m. group on No. 1 at Springfield, Go clashes with Gregory Foo and Aman Raj at 11:20 a.m. on No. 1 of Lake View, Quiban tees off at 12:20 p.m. with Tang Haizaho and Chi Quan Truong on No. 10 of Springfield, and Ramos tangles with Sungjin Noh and amateur Cameron Harlock at 11:30 a.m. at the backside of Springfield.

Chan kicks off his bid at 12:20 p.m. against Junghwan Lee and Koichiro Ishika from Japan on No. 1 of Springfield.

Other players tipped to contend are American John Catlin, India’s Rahil Ganglee, Aussie Sam Brazel, Malaysian Nicholas Hung and Rory Hie from Indonesia.

Way down at 64th in the Asian Tour rankings in November 2011, Pagunsan climbed sharply with tied for ninth in the Taiwan Masters, posted a strong runner-up finish in the Singapore Open and closed out the season with a 10th place effort in the Hong Kong Open.

But moving to the Japan circuit, he grappled with challenges, eventually scoring a victory in the Mizuno Open, which he won while using just 11 clubs due to Covid-19 precautions.