Or Ruben Sasutil sustains his birdie-binge in the third round, Pagunsan fumbled with his first over-par round in three days, a 73, but the 34-year-old veteran of the Japan PGA Tour still managed to pad his lead to five as his pursuers either folded up or simply faded away under the most demanding conditions at the Midlands Course here.
Pagunsan, who started the round three-up on two-leg winner Benjie Magada, eagled the par-5 No. 6 where, he claimed, he didn’t have to hit a long second shot as his drive hit the cart path, the ball rolling to within 130 yards off the green. He pulled his trusted pitching wedge, hit it to within eight feet and knocked it in.
"Tsamba lang talaga ung eagle. At least, di na ako nag-second shot ng malayo," said Pagunsan in jest. Together with his tap-in birdie on the par-5 No. 16, Pagunsan survived an otherwise wind-blown, bogey-laden day as he salvaged a round of 37-36 for a 211.
That was five shots up over Sasutil, who trailed Pagunsan by two in the first round but dropped back with a 77 Wednesday before turning in the day’s best score of 70 to be at 216.
But if Sasutil’s windup would be any indication, Pagunsan might be in for a big surprise today.
For the soft-spoken Cangolf pro made his noise by birdying the last three holes, including a bending 16-footer on the 17th, that put him back in second place.
"Sa course na ito, madaling maubos ang lamang mo sa isang butas lang," said the 37-year-old Sasutil, whose duel with Pagunsan in the championship flight could spark up some rivalry between the former national team players.
The rest, including fancied two-leg winners Benjie Magada and Cassius Casas, were too far behind the three-day leader and would need to dish out some kind of miracle rounds to at least foil Pagunsan’s expected romp in this event bankrolled by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and San Miguel Beer.
Cookie La’O fired a one-under 71 after back-to-back one over par rounds as he moved up to third with a 217, while Magada, three shots adrift at the start of the day, failed to silence to the winds and got blown away instead as he tumbled with a 77, enabling Richard Sinfuego to tie him at 218 after matching par.
Roger Cabajar shot the day’s third and only under-par card, a 71 that put him at 219, eight shots behind the fired-up Pagunsan, who is seeking to end a two-year title drought in this event organized by the Federation of Golf Clubs Philippines Inc.
After firing a 71 Wednesday, Casas stumbled with a 76, virtually kissing his bid for a follow-up to his thrilling 6-hole playoff victory last week at Del Monte. He had a 220, the same output put in by Danny Zarate (72), Rodrigo Cuello (72) and Tony Lascuna (74).
Worse was Mars Pucay, back-to-back winner in the Mindanao leg, who skied to a 77 and a 226.