Pagunsan pulls ahead in Japan Golf Tour with 63

MANILA, Philippines – Juvic Pagunsan sizzled in a blistering frontside windup he spiked with two chip-in birdies as he fired a 63 to wrest control halfway through the Golf Partner Pro-Am tournament in Ibaraki, Japan Friday.

The veteran Filipino campaigner, who shot four birdies after 12 holes while starting at the backside of the par-70 Toride International Golf Club course, strung up four straight birdies from No. 5, the last two from outside the green, as he closed out with a 31 on a career-record eight-putt performance. He finished with a personal-best 19-putt showing to storm past first round leader Tsubasa Ukita with a 36-hole total of 127.

The former Asian Tour No. 1, who started the day two strokes off Ukita after an impressive first round 64, missed two fairways at the back that features three par-3s but came through with seven straight one-putts from No. 11.

With his spectacular frontside finish, he moved 36 holes away from annexing his second Japan Golf Tour title after ending a decade-long wait by winning the Mizuno Open in 2021.

Ukita slowed down with a 66 after a 62 but dropped just a stroke off Pagunsan at 128 in a tie with Taika Simikawa, who fired a 65, while Yuki Inamori pooled a 129 after a 65 to make it a crowded leaderboard heading to the last 36 holes of the US$432,936 (P24.1 million) championship.

Fil-Am Justin delos Santos, meanwhile, put in a 67 after a 66 for a share of 17th at 133, but stood six strokes off Pagunsan.

Delos Santos hit just four fairways but finished with 29 putts as he safely made it to the weekend play of the 72-hole event.