Dumandan tops elims; Pagunsan crashes out

Marvin Dumandan played true to form and topped the Philippine Amateur Golf Championship’s 36-hole qualifying tournament at Villamor yesterday but fancied Juvic Pagunsan played out of form and missed the cut in a tournament he was heavily favored to win.

Dumandan, whose exploits overseas the last two weeks installed the Riviera bet as one of the favorites in the country’s premier amateur championship, worked on a four-birdie, two-bogey effort and fired a two-under par 70 to emerge the top qualifier with a 145 and tow 31 others into the tournament proper today.

But Pagunsan was not among them.

Dishing perhaps his worst-ever round in years, Pagunsan fumbled with a double-bogey and nine bogeys, including six straight at the back, with a lone birdie to show in a 84-round that unceremoniously knocked him out of the match play event.

From joint sixth with 75 in the first round, Pagunsan, the top Filipino placer (second) in this year’s Philippine Open, tumbled all the way down to a share of 35th place at 159, one shot short of the 158 that made it through the head-to-head duel phase of the event staged by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

That’s one less tough rival for Dumandan, who will be facing unheralded Justin Tambunting in the first round of the match play event, hoping to dispose of the 32nd placer whose second day 75 nipped jungolfer Miko Alejandro (78) and PAL Interclub hero Romeo Jaraula (78) for the last spot.

Louie Dacudao of Lanang carded a 75 for a 147 and finished second to arrange a clash with Ricky de los Santos (77-158); 1999 champion and first round leader Artemio Murakami settled for third with a 148 after a 79 to set up a duel with King Stehmeir (76-158).

Tristan Tabanas matched par 72 and finished fourth with a 149 followed by Mari Hechanova (75-150), Hanson So Jr. (73-150) and Boyet Saragoza (75-150) in that order. Jay Bayron fired the day’s only other under-par round, a 71, for a 150 as he wound up eighth while Michael Bibat (73-150), and Laurence Negrido (76-151) rounded up the top 10 placers.

Other matches pit Tabanas vs Joel Opaco (77-157); Bayron vs Paul Miñoza (78-156); Bibat vs Lino Retuerto (77-156); Anthony Fernando (75-153) vs Ferdie Aunzo (74-155); Hechanova vs Tonton Asistio (79-157); Jun Bernis (76-152) vs Dave Hernandez (78-156); Jette Plete (74-153) vs Raffy Garcia (79-154); Saragoza vs Gene Bondoc (78-156); Negrido vs Iggy Clavecilla (74-156); Cris delos Santos (73-153) vs Samsung Tour leg winner Raymond Sangil (74-154); So vs Jong Laput (78-156); and Greg Laguatan (81-151) vs Jun Jun Plana (80-155).