Juvic ranks world's 177th

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan, the new Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, has broken into the world’s top-200 following his runner-up finish at the Barclays Singapore Open last Monday.

The 33-year-old ace Filipino shotmaker rose more than 300 spots to his current 177th position after picking up 27.6 points on the Official World Golf ranking.

The Barclays Singapore Open, Asia’s richest national championship at $6 million in total prize fund, offered the highest world ranking points last week with winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano earning 46 points, eclipsing the Australian Open.

Pagunsan, who banked a record paycheck ($666,660 or P28 million) by a Filipino golfer with his runner-up finish in Singapore Open, thus joined 16 other Asian Tour campaigners in the world’s top-200, led by Korean star K.J. Choi.

Choi is ranked 15th in the world followed by countryman Y.E. Yang in 43rd. Choi won the Players Championship in May and the inaugural CJ Invitational, which he hosted on the Asian Tour last month.

Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka, third on the Order of Merit, is at No. 85 followed by last year’s Asian Tour No. 1 Noh Seung-yul of Korea, who is in 97th position.

Others in the top-200 are England’s Mark Foster (133rd), Korea’s Charlie Wi (140th), Kenichi Kuboya of Japan (143rd), Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (144th), Bangladeshi Siddikur (149th), Jbe Kruger of South Africa (155th), Rhys Davies of Wales (159th), Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand (175th), Thaworn Wiratchant (178th), India’s Jeev Milkha Singh (185th), Marcus Fraser of Australia (190th) and Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand (198th).

Meanwhile, one day after vaulting to the top of the Asian Tour OOM, Pagunsan tries to zero in on the coveted crown as he goes for no less than a victory in the Iskandar Johor Open beginning tomorrow in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

“My goal is to definitely try and win this week,” said Pagunsan. “It was such a good experience (finishing second in Singapore) and now I’ll be playing with a lot more confidence.”

He added that he’s more thrilled to be playing in his first Asian Tour event as the OOM leader, saying: “I’ll try to keep my name on the top.”

 Pagunsan, who has won once on the Asian Tour in 2007, said he is still feeling the adrenaline rush from his Monday play-off and will look to make amends against a stellar roster at the Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club.

He will contend with defending champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland, Charlie Wi of Korea, who will bid for a third title in Malaysia, and PGA Tour star Anthony Kim of the US in the $2 million event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

He, however, admits feeling more pressured to perform but will draw inspiration from his joint seventh place finish in the 2009 Johor Open.

“I still feel like I’m in the groove. There’s a bit more pressure now seeing that I’m leading on the Order of Merit but it comes with the job,” said Pagunsan.

With a season’s collection of US$721, 298.60, Pagunsan is primed to become the first Filipino, after Frankie Miñoza in the early 1990s, to win the prestigious OOM title with only three events remaining on the 2011 Asian Tour Schedule.

“It surprises me because I am at the top now. I almost lost my card this year and it is a surprise,” said Pagunsan who leads by $276,770.10 over second-placed Chowrasia.

“I will play in the rest of the events in Asia and I want to get the Order of Merit title. I really want to get that. It is a big achievement for my life,” added Pagunsan.

“I work hard at every tournament and I prepare myself well for every tournament. Who knows, with this finish, maybe I can play the big events now,” said Pagunsan who will get the opportunity to compete at the British Open and WGC Cadillac Championship next season should he win the Order of Merit at the end of the season.