SILANG, Cavite – Juvic Pagunsan held sway in a long day marred by three rain delays, including a two-hour interruption at mid noon, coming away with three birdies midway through to salvage a one-under card when play was stopped due to darkness in the ICTSI Riviera Classic here yesterday.
Pagunsan, who hiked his lead to two despite a one-over 72 in storm-hit second round play, hit three birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 7 in soft conditions, turning a two-over start into a one-under card when the third round was halted at dusk with a number of flights stranded.
They included the featured threesome of Pagunsan, Tony Lascuña and Japanese Keisuke Takahashi, and contenders Guido Van der Valk, Clyde Mondilla and Jhonnel Ababa, with the rest of survivors enduring a series of stoppages as heavy rain battered the Langer layout practically all day.
But Ferdie Aunzo, the former amateur hotshot out to snap a long slump in the ICTSI-sponsored circuit, found the wet conditions to his liking, producing a gutsy run of pars and a birdie on No. 12 then spiking his impressive outing with a pitch-in eagle on the par-4 15th.
He came out with the day’s best three-under card with three holes to play to tie Lascuña at provisional second at even-par (201) overall, three behind Pagunsan’s three-under total (190) with six holes to play. Lascuña also had a running even par aggregate (193) after No. 13.
All unfinished rounds will be completed early today (Saturday) but if the weather worsens, the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. had hinted at reducing the P2.5 million event to a 54-hole tournament.
