CANLUBANG, Laguna – Juvic Pagunsan tamed the wild winds of Canlubang yesterday to post a one-stroke lead in the first round of the DHL-NGAP Amateur Open Golf Championship that saw an unheralded South Korean steal the spotlight.
Pagunsan fired a five-under-par 67, anchored on a sizzling back nine 32, where most golfers lost their bearing and their patience. It also helped that Pagunsan knew the Canlubang course very well being a mainstay of the club.
"Biglang lumakas ang hangin," said Pagunsan of the swirling afternoon winds.
But while the others groped for the right club, Pagunsan rode the wind to his advantage, scoring four birdies going home to add to his two on the front nine, against one bogey.
Pagunsan will not go home totally relaxed, however. He will be thinking of Kim Chang Hoi, a mysterious last-minute entry who strode almost unnoticed into the clubhouse with a 68.
Many wondered how he could score that well under such atrocious condition. Kim, however, was not there to answer the question. He only added fuel to the mystery by quickly slipping out of the course leaving many to wonder some more.
Kim shot 33 on the front nine and went four-under with another birdie on the 10
th. He faded briefly with back-to-back bogeys from No. 13 but bounced back to snatch second place with birdies on the last two holes.
Two other Canlubang hotshots, Jay Bayron and Jun Bernis were in third place with identical 69s while a stroke farther was another unknown, Pinde de los Santos. Edwin Vinluan shot 71 to take solo seventh spot.
Then came defending champion Abe Rosal at 72, the same score turned in by Boboy Jaraulla and Marc Lopez.
Rosal drove out-of-bounds right on the first hole to open his title-retention bid with a double-bogey 6 but the KBC Bank deputy general manager showed resiliency by firing five birdies against three bogeys to save his round.
Another favorite, Tommy Manotoc shot a 74 while former national amateur champion Artemio Murakami had a 79.
Despite his familiarity with the course, Pagunsan is likely to find stiff competition in his bid to add the DHL crown to his collection with fellow Canlubang teammates close behind.
Earlier, NGAP president and DHL/WWWExpress chair Rod Feliciano, DHL country manager Charles Brewer, NGAP vice president Admiral Luisito Fernandez, WWWExpress president Joe Feliciano and tournament chair Danny Pizarro hit the ceremonial drive to kick off this 72-hole event which gathered the best and promising talents in the ranks.
Meanwhile, the 54-hole ladies tournament gets underway today with focus on Lora Roberto, Lucy Landicho, Carmelette Villaroman and ace jungolfer Jayvie Agojo.
