Pagunsan extends lead to 3

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan outgunned former Ryder Cup star Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden in their backside duel and came through with an eagle-aided 68 to stretch his lead to three strokes in the third round of the $60,000 Bali Open at the New Kuta Golf Resort in Bali, Indonesia yesterday.

Pagunsan, who started the round one shot ahead of the field, sustained his brilliant form as he fired three birdies and an eagle at the par-5 No. 9 for a 32 then pounced on Sandelin’s three straight bogeys from No. 13 to pull away from the pack with a 54-hole haul of nine-under 207.

Sandelin actually matched the Filipino ace’s opening 32 and a birdie on No. 10 but penalized himself on No. 12 after he mistakenly replaced his ball in the semi-rough, which led to three straight bogeys. He wound up with a 70 for a 210.

Michael Bibat, the only other Filipino in the event, rallied with a four-under 68 for solo sixth at 217, 10 shots off the pace.  

“Three shots is not a big lead. It can disappear in one hole here,” said Pagunsan, who recently copped the Order of Merit crown on the Mercedes Benz Tour. “I played really well on the front nine and I’ll stay aggressive in the last round.”

The eagle-spiked 68 came after Pagunsan fired a bogey-free 67 in the second round that netted him the lead.

He remained flawless in the third day, highlighting his round with a superb 3-wood shot from 270 yards that landed eight feet off the cup for that eagle-3 on No. 9.

“That was really nice, certainly the shot of the day,” said Pagunsan, who, however, stumbled with back-to-back bogeys from No. 15.

“It’s the first time I’ve played with him and he is playing really well. But it’s not over until it’s over,” said Sandelin, a five-time European Tour winner.

“I don’t know what happened to me on the 12th. I replaced my ball (due to the preferred lie ruling) but realized it was in the semi-rough by six inches and called a penalty on myself. Then I bogeyed the next three holes. If I can play like how I did in the first 11 holes tomorrow, then I will have a chance,” said Sandelin.