Sep 30, 2017: Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines charged into a one-shot lead after shooting a two-under-par 70 in the third round of the US$800,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Saturday. Indian players Arjun Atwal and Gaganjeet Bhullar fired themselves into the upper sections of the leaderboard with a brilliant two under and three under scores respectively.
Arjun made 11 spots adjustment with two-under-par 70 to tie at T8. Where as Bhullar placed well in top 10, by producing a solid three-under-par 69 to tie at T10 and proved his great form by climbing 30 positions in the leader-board.
Pagunsan, the first Filipino to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2011, totalled eight-under-par 208 to hold a narrow edge over Malaysia’s Gavin Green at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.
Green stayed in the hunt for his first Asian Tour title after shooting a 71 and stay within striking distance of his playing partner Pagunsan. Keith Horne of South Africa was a further two shots back following a 72.
Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe posted a superb 66, the lowest round today, in windy conditions to tie in fourth place alongside Thailand’s Danthai Boonma and Malaysia’s Ben Leong, who both returned on matching 71s.
Pagunsan birdied the opening hole before adding two birdies against one bogey on his homeward nine to put himself in prime position of ending a 10-year title drought.
Green, who co-led with Pagusan after two rounds, birdied three out of four par fives but slipped back when an errand tee shot on the par-four 14th hole resulted in a double bogey.
Did you know?
- Pagunsan birdied his opening hole from five feet which gave him the momentum for the rest of the round. He dropped one shot on the 10th hole but took the outright lead thanks to birdies on 13 and 15.
- He is enjoying a good season so far highlighted by a runner-up result in Singapore earlier this year. He also has two other top-five results.
- Pagunsan said he will not take his lead for granted at the challenging Taiwan GCC.
- He is currently ranked 17th on the Order of Merit. A good result or a victory this week will squeeze him into the lucrative CIMB Classic where the leading 10 players on the Order of Merit as of October 9 will qualify.
- As an amateur, Pagunsan won two gold medals in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games staged in Manila.
- Green birdied three out of four par fives. The double bogey on the 14th hole was his highest score this week.
- Green hopes to do well on Sunday to honour his late grandfather who passed away from a heart attack a few hours after he finished second in Korea two weeks ago.
- With three runner-up results this year, the young Malaysian hopes to cross the finishing line and take over the Order of Merit lead from Scott Hend of Australia.
- Horne is also searching for a first win on the Asian Tour. He bogeyed the opening hole but made up with a birdie on the last hole from close range.
Asian Tour Release
