Filipino stalwart Juvic Pagunsan earned his third appearance at The Open Championship with a remarkable three-shot victory in the 50th edition of the Mizuno Open at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club yesterday.
Carrying his own bag with only 11 clubs, the 43-year-old carded rounds of 66, 65 and 68 for a winning total of 17-under-par 199 in the tournament, which was shortened to 54 holes due to bad weather. Runner-up Ryutaro Nagano of Japan also earned a spot in The 149th Open and will make his Major debut when the tournament tees off at Royal St George’s in Kent, England on July 15-18.
This was Pagunsan’s first win on the Japan Golf Tour in 11 years on the lucrative circuit and marked the third time this season he had opted to carry his own bag, removing several irons to make it lighter. He took out the 3, 4, 6 and 8-irons and added a 19-degree utility, while keeping four wedges – pitching, 50, 52 and 58 degrees – in the bag.
“Since there are fewer choices, I can save the trouble of choosing and play easily,” said Pagunsan.
“I finally won on the Japan Tour in my 11th year. I’m very happy to be in The Open Championship. This is my third appearance … I’m very excited and looking forward to it,” added the popular Filipino, whose previous Open appearances came at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012 when he tied for 72nd and Royal Liverpool in 2014 when he missed the cut.
Pagunsan has one Asian Tour title to his name in the 2007 Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational, the same year he won the Negeri Sembilan Masters at Seremban International Golf Club. As an amateur, he won the 2001 SEA Games individual gold medal at Sungai Long Golf & Country Club.
Nagano meanwhile closed with a superb 66 to take the second Open ticket by two shots from compatriots Ryuichi Oiwa and Katsumasa Miyamoto.
“It’s my first Major and I’m very happy,” said Nagano. “It’s the tournament I’ve always wanted to attend. It’s a great honour for me. Until now, it was the world inside television, so now I want to actually feel it.”
