source: Adrian Flores | gmanews.tv

Koh Samui, Thailand—Filipino Juvic Pagunsan recorded three birdies to overshadow her two early bogeys, but that wasn’t enough to catapult him to the championship of the Queen’s Cup tournament here.

Instead, the Pinoy parbuster ended up third and watched Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka and local bet Thaworn Wiratchant slug it out for the crown in this $300,000 rich tournament.

Pagunsan will go home $18,300 (P823,500) richer and will boost his stock for several upcoming major tournaments lined up this year.

Grabbing spotlight as co-leader in the third round, Pagunsan recovered with a superb 25-foot putt for birdie at the 15th and an easy six-footer at No. 17 of the Santiburi Samui Golf Club.

He had one last chance to claim a victory but failed to sink a potential eagle at the 18th, which would have tied the 31-year-old with Hiratsuka and forced a playoff.

“I had a good look at the hole (18) with my pitch for eagle, but didn’t pull it off. I was fighting until the end and it’s still good to finish third as Tetsuji played really well," Pagunsan said.

Hiratsuka won the title and outlasted his closest pursuer Wiratchant.

An outward 33 with three birdies saw the Japanese veteran race to a two-shot advantage but a double bogey on 10 after a wayward drive opened the door for his rivals.

Hiratsuka pulled off a huge par-save on No. 12 from six feet before romping home with three birdies over his last five holes to subdue the challenges of Thaworn and Pagunsan.

“I’m very happy. I love Asia and this is the best form of my life," said Hiratsuka, whose 11-under-par 273 winning total earned him US$47,550.

The unorthodox Thaworn, chasing a record tying 12th Asian Tour victory, produced a bogey-free 69, including a birdie on 18, which established the clubhouse lead at 10-under.

For a moment, a playoff loomed as Hiratsuka found thick rough on the greenside and left himself with a formidable putt for victory, which he duly converted.

Last year’s Queen’s Cup champion Chinnarat Phadungsil signed off with a 66 to finish tied sixth on 278 with Prayad while Bangladesh’s Siddikur enjoyed his first Top-10 finish in his career by finishing tied at eighth. - RCJ/Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV

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