Golf: Juvic Pagunsan bags third TCC Invitational crown

Canlubang — When you are No. 1 in Asia, the burden of winning is heavier than usual. But Juvic Pagunsan, the Asian Tour king in 2011, managed to shrug off the pressure at the close of the 10th The Country Club Invitational, winning by four strokes over Elmer Salvador at the posh The Country Club course, making it three times he’s come out on top at the event.                  Notwithstanding the alternately hot and windy conditions, Pagunsan zoomed past his rivals after he fired a third straight one-under-par 69 in a display of wonderful long iron shots in the last six holes, when it really mattered most.                  That 69 brought Pagunsan’s 72-hole total to 277, not his best winning score ever, but enough to fend off any rally mounted by Salvador.  The runner-up closed out with a two-over 72 for 281.   Pagunsan was awarded the P1.45-million top prize while Salvador got P690,000.                  Pagunsan pulled out some tricks in his bag, netting a birdie at the 13th, an eagle at 14th and a birdie at 15th to eliminate all chances for his opponents.                  “Juvic played a hell of a game,” said Salvador.                  Salvador had his moments, too.  He gained on the sixth hole where he birdied from 15 feet, then got even with a birdie on the seventh, against the bogey of Pagunsan for a two-shot swing.  But that was the extent of Salvador’s fightback as the eventual champion saved the best for last.                  Antonio Lascuna placed third with a 68 for 283, good for P430,000.                     Angelo Que, the dethroned titlist, had two birdies in three holes, but wavered with a bogey on the fourth.  He recorded a birdie and a bogey in the final half to wind up with a 70, for a total of 286, in a tie with Marvin Dumandan (68) and Artemio Murakami (69).                  “Juvic was hot in the final 54 holes.  He was very good with the long irons and was crisp in approach shots even at more than 200 yards.  That was the key because the TCC course played longer than the usual,” Que explained.  He got P241,671, the same as Dumandan and Murakami.                  Cassius Casas carded a 72, Rufino Bayron a 71 and Carl Santos-Ocampo a 76 to share seventh at 287. - Adrian Flores/AMD, GMA News