Juvic second in Mizuno golf, pockets P4.7M

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan banked P4.7 million as he turned in another runner-up finish in six tournaments on the Japan PGA Tour, placing second to Jang Dong-kru with a closing 70 in the Mizuno Open at the JFE Setonaiai Golf Club in Okayama, Japan yesterday.

Pagunsan, who moved into contention with a flawless, eagle-spiked 65 Saturday, hit four birdies against two bogeys and finished with a 35-35 card for a 12-under 276 total, three strokes behind Jang, who shot a 69 for a 273.

The smooth-swinging Filipino shotmaker took home Y11 million or P4.737 million, raising his earnings to P9.123 million.

He also earned P3.9 million in finishing second in the Indonesia PGA last March and pocketed P131,000 in placing joint 49th in The Crowns last March and P392,000 for a joint 27th effort in the Tsuruya Open last May.

He had two missed cuts – in the Token Homemate Cup last March and in the Kansai Open last month,

Pagunsan earned a card in the lucrative Japan circuit after topping the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown in 2011 without winning a leg but turning four top 10 finishes, including a runner-up finish in the cash-rich Singapore Open.