Pagunsan fires 69, trails WGC leaders by 3 shots

Filipino star Juvic Pagunsan showed why he is Asia's No. 1 player on Thursday when he came through with a three-under-par 69 to trail by three shots against joint leaders Adam Scott and Jason Dufner in the first round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Doral, Florida. Pagunsan drilled in four birdies as against a bogey at the TPC Blue Monster course where he's making his first appearance in the World Golf Championship in the United States after winning the Asian Tour's Order of Merit in 2011. His performance did not go unnoticed as Pagunsan, who bombed out of the Dubai Desert Classic in February, had even a better score than World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (73), Luke Donald (70) and World No. 3 Lee Westwood (76). Tiger Woods made an even 72. "He’s satisfied with his all-around game today. Hopefully, he will continue to do the same in the second round," said Pagunsan's spokesman cum manager Bones Floro. Other Asian Tour players in the field struggled with Korean Y. E. Yang and South African Jbe Kruger shooting identical 72s and Japanese Tetsuji Hiratsuka carding a 78. — Adrian Flores/JVP, GMA News