Pagunsan holds on to win at Royal Northwoods

Juvic Pagunsan nearly blew a comfortable five-shot lead in the last four holes but recovered just in time to hack out a hard-earned win over Jay Bayron in the P1-million ICTSI-Royal Northwoods Championship held at the Royal Northwoods Golf and Country Club in San Rafael, Bulacan Friday. The 32-year-old Pagunsan tallied an 11-under 205 after a three-under-par 69 in Friday's final day. He pocketed the P200,000 top prize offered in the second leg of the Philippine Golf Tour. The Bacolod-born Pagunsan, the runner-up in the PGT's Order of Merit last year, moved ahead by five with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 and a bogey on No. 13, which Bayron holed into a double bogey. Instead of cruising to an easy victory, ICTSI-Apo and ICTSI-Riviera legs winner Pagunsan dropped two shots at the 15th and 16th, giving Bayron, who birdied the 15th and parred the 16th, a slim chance to score a come-from-behind win. But Pagunsan came back to life at the right time as he matched birdies with Bayron in the 17th before parring the last hole. "I tried to apply the pressure in the early going since he also had a good start," said the 32-year-old Pagunsan, who rattled off four birdies in a fiery shootout with Bayron in the front nine. Pagunsan's victory makes him a marked man in next week's ICTSI-Mt. Malarayat Championship in Lipa City where Angelo Que and new pro Miguel Tabuena said that they will be competing. "It's really tough playing Juvic in the final round, especially if he's ahead," said Bayron, who took home P120,000. "But I’m happy with my performance." Former national champion Mhark Fernando finished six strokes behind Pagunsan at 211 after a 70 for third and P65,000. Gene Bondoc also had a 70 to force a five-way tie for fourth at 212 with Anthony Fernando, who failed to keep up with Pagunsan's and Bayron's torrid shootout in the championship flight, and limped home with a 74. Another 212 scorer was Cassius Casas (73), while rookie pro Carl Santos-Ocampo, who was in contention after a 67 in the second round, also had a 73. - Adrian Flores, JVP, KY, GMA News