Pagunsan leads Order of Merit with P1.3M heading into Del Monte championships

Juvic Pagunsan has four titles in the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) and over a P1.3-million worth of earnings but his drive for excellence is not wavering as he heads another stellar cast in the ICTSI-Del Monte Championship set at the Del Monte Golf Club in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. “Juvic’s in a zone right now. But I still think anybody could be the titlist in Del Monte," said fellow campaigner Cassius Casas, a former winner in the PGT and one-time Philippine Open champion. The Del Monte leg of the PGT will begin Tuesday with the traditional pro-am side event with the 54-hole tournament proper starting Wednesday. Aside from Casas, out to foil his bid for a fifth crown in the P1-million tournament are Asian Tour veterans Angelo Que, Antonio Lascuna, Mars Pucay and Artemio Murakami and tour pros Elmer Salvador, Marvin Dumandan, Jay Bayron and Jhonel Ababa. Pagunsan, who earned a four-shot win in the ICTSI-Apo Golf Invitational last week in Davao, will also be looking for redemption from last year’s debacle in Bukidnon where he, Elmer Salvador and Richard Sinfuego were disqualified in a controversial final hole infraction. With his Davao victory, worth P200,000, Pagunsan is currently the Order of Merit leader with P1.35-million, followed by Salvador (P573,244), Bayron (P368,494), Dumandan (P293,482), Miguel Tabuena (274,994), Orlan Sumcad (P265,500), Que (P247,000) and Robert Pactolerin (P243,500).- OMG, GMA News