Juvic Pagunsan drained a 10-foot putt to edge Tony Lascuna in the first playoff hole and win the ICTSI Riviera Championship at the Langer course in Silang, Cavite Friday.
It was a climactic ending to a tournament that produced only 10 sub-par rounds, a testament to the course’s tough conditions.
The 44-year-old Pagunsan failed to break par in all four rounds, but hung on to finish 72 holes on 5-over following a closing even-par 71.
Lascuna had a chance to win the title outright when he went to the 18th tee clutching a two-shot lead over Pagunsan.
But the 51-year-old veteran dropped two shots, allowing Pagunsan to force the playoff.
Both players teed off again on 18 with both players missing the green.
Pagunsan blasted out of the bunker while Lascuna’s chip went farther than his rival’s.
First to putt, Lascuna’s par-saving putt ended near the lip, paving the way for Pagunsan’s winning putt.
After sinking his putt, Pagunsan raised his right arm on the air and shook hands with Lascuna.
“It’s a difficult week. I didn’t know how to play at Riviera. There are times the winds are strong and the greens are unpredictable,” said Pagunsan in the vernacular.
“It just so happens they allowed me to rally. The key was 17 where I birdied and I saw Mr. Lascuna double-bogey the last hole. That gave me the chance.”
Pagunsan earned P360,000 while Lascuna settled for P236,000.
Zanieboy Gialon closed with a 73 to take solo third on 6-over.
Overnight leader Fidel Concepcion faded early on with four bogeys and a double bogey and limped home with an 80, dropping him to eighth spot on 10-over.
Guido van der Valk, who led the tournament in one stretch, was undone by a pair of double bogeys in the last five holes and a closing bogey.
He wound up with a 76, slipping to a share of fourth place on 7-over with Rico Depilo and Orlan Sumcad.
The unheralded Depilo and Sumcad shot 75 and 69, respectively.
The leading scores:
289 — Juvic Pagunsan 75-71-72-71, Tony Lascuna 72-74-74-69
290 — Zanieboy Gialon 74-73-70-73
291 — Rico Depilo 72-74-70-75, Orlan Sumcad 76-72-74-69, Guido van der Valk 74-68-73-76
293 — Ira Christian Alido 73-74-70-76
294 — Fidel Concepcion 69-74-71-80
295 — Marvin Dumandan 73-71-80-71
296 — Jay Bayron 75-74-75-72, Clyde Mondilla 75-73-76-72, Rupert Zaragosa 74-7374-75
297 — Jhonnel Ababa 78-73-73-73
299 — Anthony Fernando 71-75-79-74, Keanu Jahns 74-74-79-72, Angelo Que 78-72-73-76
300 — Jeonard Rates 76-82-71-71