PHL bet Pagunsan misses cut at Emirates Golf Club

Juvic Pagunsan managed a two-over-par 74 but that was not enough to propel him into the weekend rounds of the European Tour-sanctioned cash rich Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy (65) and Thomas Bjorn (65) are in the driver's seat with 131 each. Overnight leader Rafael Cabrera-Bello slid to third on 132. Pagunsan, the reigning Asian Tour No.1, had an earlier one-under-par 71 which was rendered useless as his 145 total in 36 holes didn't make the cut in the P2.5-million tournament. The 33-year-old Pagunsan, who won more than P40-million in last year's Asian Tour, skipped the on-going ICTSI Philippine Open to play in Dubai through an invitation. "I feel bad because I'm hitting the ball well. For misreading most of the greens, I missed the cut," said Pagunsan in a text message to GMA News Onlin.   He opened with five pars but bogeyed the sixth. He had regulation pars in the next four dropped two shots on the 11th and 14th, which virtually dashed his hopes of entering the third round. Not even a second straight birdie on the par-4 17th could save Pagunsan, who was on joint 87th in a field of 138. — Adrian Flores/JVP, GMA News