Pagunsan up by one; Miñoza misses cut

Juvic Pagunsan survived the ordeal the pros went through in a punishing day here at The Country Club, firing a gutsy one-over par 71 for the second straight day and wresting a one-stroke lead over buddy Artemio Murakami and first round leader Ramil Bisera as the brand-new pros took charge over the veterans halfway through the rich The Country Club Invitational.

On a day the revered Frankie Miñoza and last year’s champion Jerome Delariarte missed the cut in this P4 million tournament among the country’s elite shotmakers, Pagunsan moved up from joint seventh to a very familiar place when playing at this tough par-70 layout – at the top – as he assembled a 36-hole aggregate of 142.

That was one shot up on Murakami, Pagunsan’s teammate during their amateur days, the last in the SEA Games here last December when Pagunsan whipped the course with a run of under-par scores en route to winning the individual gold and steering the RP squad to the team championship.

Murakami carded a 73 on a course made more daunting with testy pin placements as he pooled a 143 to catch the surprise opening day leader at second. Bisera hung tough with a 35 at the front but came in ruffled by the winds that blew from all over and limped with a 40.

Cassius Casas, champion in the inaugural staging of this event put up by Ricky Razon in 2003, also fumbled with a 75 after a 69 but still remained two strokes off Pagunsan, while Cookie La’O settled for a 73 after bogeying Nos. 14 and 15 for the second straight day for solo fifth at 145.

While the rest grumbled on the difficult pin placements strategically placed on slopes, Pagunsan was all business although he had his own share of misadventures on the sleek putting surface, making three three-putts, which, had he parred, would’ve given him a bigger lead heading into the weekend play.

"Sayang talaga yung mga three-putts," said Pagunsan, referring to his bogeys on Nos. 3, 12 and 14 although his 71 proved to be the day’s best under tough, demanding conditions. He was actually on his way to matching par but he dumped his 3-iron approach shot from 175 yards on the 18th into the water although he made a superb pitch to escape with a bogey.

"Since this is a cut-off day, we made the pin placements a bit tougher for the pros," said Mike Carr, TCC’s general manager.

For many, however, it was a nightmare.

"Torture," mumbled Miñoza as he holed out with a failed bid from the bunker for his sixth bogey in the day. He finished with a 74 for a 151 and lost in the countback for the last two slots in the top 16 who stayed in the hunt for the top P1.2 million purse.

"I have never played on a course like this," said Miñoza in Filipino.

Delariarte, who scored a 77 in the final round but still won by two over La’O last year, sputtered with six bogeys with only a birdie to show in a 37-38 round for a 151. Like Miñoza, he lost in the countback.

"Grabe talaga ang pin placements, lahat nakabitin so there’s really no way to score a birdie," said Robert Pactolerin, who along with Gerald Rosales, had hoped to score under-par in the first flight. Both came in with identical 77s.

That pulled Pactolerin, who opened up with a 69, to a share of sixth with Mars Pucay, who shot a 74, while Rosales slid farther back at 147 in a tie with Richard Sinfuego, who also had a 77.

Carito Villaroman rolled in a long, curling putt on the 18th to salvage a 76 and a 148 while Tony Lascuna, winner here in 2004, shot a 76 to be at 149.

Angelo Que and Ruben Sasutil also struggled with 79s to join Marlon Dizon, firing a 76, at 150 while Peter Miñoza and Rey Pagunsan nipped five others, including Miñoza and Delariarte, in the countback at 151 to make it through the last 36 holes. Peter Miñoza shot a 74 while Rey Pagunsan rallied with a 34 to score a 76.