PHL bet Pagunsan eight back at Dubai Dessert Classic

Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines scored a one-under-par 71 to lay eight shots behind Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello's wonderful nine-under-par 63 in the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic, a full-field European Tour event, at the Emirates Golf Club.  

Pagunsan, the 2011 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, had a shaky start with two bogeys in the first three holes. He got even with birdies on Nos. 5 and 7 then had another birdie in the 10th before ending the back nine with a bogey-birdie finish in his Euro Tour debut.  

Cabrera-Bello, who came close to achieving the European Tour's first 59 when he stood on his 12th tee at nine under par, had seven birdies in the last 10 holes to shoot the day's best 63. He was two shots ahead of World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who carded a 65.  

McIlroy, the current US Open champion, was deep in the pack at one over after eight. He sprang back into life after birdying the difficult ninth and almost made a hole-in-one on the 15th.  

The Spaniard made two terrific shots on the 564-yard 18th giving him the chance to close with an eagle, but the 2009 winner—it was his first professional victory—to-putted for another birde. "Just for a second after the birdie on number two (his 11th hole) I tried to do the maths on what I needed for 59. Then I told myself to stop being foolish and don't be too greedy. Nothing wrong happened—there were some tough holes to come and I didn'' drop a stroke,” Cabrera-Bello said. — Adrian Flores/JVP, GMA News