MANILA, Philippines – Filipino golfing ace Juvic Pagunsan is bent on choosing the Tokyo Olympics over the British Open if he will be left with no other choice but to pick one.
National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) secretary-general Bones Floro on Tuesday said Pagunsan, who topped the Japan Tour’s Mizuno Open recently to earn a direct ticket to The Open, is wary of the possibility of contracting COVID-19 before the Summer Games and losing his precious slot to the Olympics.
“Juvic is much more interested in representing the country in the Olympics so one of the thoughts in his head right now is that if he goes to London, na hotspot si UK for COVID-19, medyo worried si Juvic if he does that, just in case malasin, baka mawala pa opportunity nya to represent the country in the Olympics,” said Floro in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.
There might also be scheduling problems between the British Open — slated July 11-18 in London — and men’s Olympic golf — set July 29 to August 1 in Tokyo — since athletes would only be allowed to enter five days before their respective events.
Women’s golf is scheduled August 4-7.
“From what I’ve gathered from Juvic’s team, napakalaking honor to get invited to The Open or the oldest major in the world,” said Floro. “The thing is, believe it or not, he’s actually thinking about whether to go or not.
“I spoke to his team and they are finalizing and deciding very soon,” he added.
The 43-year-old Pagunsan, along with reigning US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan, have virtually earned spots to the quadrennial event after having made the world’s top 60 lists.
Pagunsan is 51st in the men’s, Saso has improved from No. 9 to 8, and Pagdangan is at No. 42.