SILANG, Cavite , Philippines — Just as Juvic Pagunsan thought he had the Langer course all figured out, it bit back, dropping the local top gun to a share of the lead with uncle Rey and enabling a host of others to stay close halfway through the ICTSI Riviera Golf Challenge here yesterday.
Such is the challenge posed by the dreaded layout – with the wind blowing from all over and the unreceptive greens proving to be too tough to handle even for the best iron players in the fold.
In fact, two of the pre-tournament favorites failed to hurdle the severe test as defending champion and reigning Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner Jobim Carlos and former OOM champion Clyde Mondilla missed thecut – 50-plus ties – by three with atrocious 77 and 80, respectively.
Juvic drilled in an eagle on the par-5 No. 10 to launch his second round charge but like the rest, he limped in severe conditions at the finish for a second 71, falling to joint lead instead with Rey, who carded a 72, for 142s and a one-stroke lead over Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Lexus Keoninh of the US in another topsy-turvy round halfway through the $100,000 event put up by ICTSI.
“It’s tough out there with the wind blowing from all directions,” said Juvic, who sparked hopes of a solid stint by the most fancied player in the cast with an eagle on the par-5 10th off a solid second utility shot from 240 yards to within four feet.
He birdied the 18th from 10 feet but blew it with three bogeys at the front.
“We’re up against three factors here – the heat, the wind and the course,” said Asia’s former No. 1.
The elder Pagunsan actually wavered first in one of the early flights, squandering a two-under card after eight holes with three bogeys for a 34-38 but still stayed on top on Juvic’s equally shaky windup.
Van der Valk closed out with a gutsy par-game at the front to likewise match par 71 at the wind-raked layout and tied Keoninh, who birdied the sixth for a 72, at 143. Aussie Damien Jordan also stumbled at the finish but saved a 70 for joint fifth with Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, who turned in another 72, at 144.
With majority of the rest also floundering in hot, blustery conditions and deceptive greens, at least seven others stood just a stroke or two behind while eight more stayed within striking distance. in what promises to be a wild final 36 holes in the $100,000 event serving as the penultimate leg of the 10-stage second season of the PGT Asia organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.