Juvic 3 off in AsPac Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Juvic Pagunsan rebounded from a shaky start with four birdies in the last 12 holes as he fired a two-under 69 to join eight others in seventh place, three strokes off Aussie Cameron Smith at the start of the Asia Pacific Diamond Cup Golf at the Otone Country Club’s West course in Ibaraki, Japan yesterday.

Pagunsan birdied the opening hole but reeled back with a double-bogey and bogey from No. 2 before hitting four birdies in a 10-hole stretch from No. 7 to wheel back into contention in the $1.4 million event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan PGA Tour.

The smooth-swinging Pagunsan highlighted his 35-34 card with six saved pars as he tied Aussies Scott Hend, Marcus Both and Adam Bland, American David Lipsky, Indian Arjun Atwal, Japanese Shinji Tomimura and Akio Sadakata and Thai Prayad Marksaeng.

Smith leaned on a solid backside stint to take care of the stellar field, gunning down five birdies, including three straight from No, 13, for a 66 as he surged to a two-shot lead over Korean SK Ho, Thai Namchok Tantipokhakul and local bets Hiroyuki Fujita, Kiyoshi Murota and Keiichiro Fukabori, who all had 68s.

Angelo Que, the only other Filipino in the fold, eagled the par-5 18th to save a one-over 72 for a share of 44th with 16 others.

Pagunsan, who has made Japan his base the last three years, has two runner-up finishes in this year’s Japan PGA, a joint second place effort in the kickoff leg in Indonesia and a solo second feat in the Mizuno Open.

With his skills and talent, the 2011 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner is tipped to contend for the top $318,987 purse (around P14 million).