JUVIC Pagunsan underscored his reputation as the best golfer in the country as he closed the final round out with a 69 to claim the championship over Elmer Salvador in the The Country Club Invitational yesterday at the TCC greens in Canlubang.
An eagle on the par-5 14th sandwiched a birdie-birdie feat that thwarted a slew of pursuers and all but turned what had been a tight, fierce battle for the top P1.4 million purse on a hot, humid day into a one-man show by Asia’s No. 1.
Like in the third round, where he strung up three birdies from No. 14 to surge ahead, Pagunsan came through with a spectacular birdie-eagle-birdie binge from No. 13, racing away from Salvador and Tony Lascuna and into the winner’s podium again with a 277 aggregate.
Salvador caught up with Pagunsan in a bogey-marred frontside battle with Lascuna fighting back from seven strokes down to within two at the turn with a solid 32.
But the challengers ended up empty-handed in the face of Pagunsan’s fiery finish with Salvador finishing with a 72 for a 281 and Lascuna taking solo third at 283 after a 68. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio