Juvic Pagunsan fired a blistering nine-under 63 yesterday to snatch a one-shot lead from local hero Prayad Marksaeng at the halfway stage of the Singha Thailand PGA Championship.
The talented Filipino sank 10 birdies, including a stunning run of seven in a row, at the Santiburi Country Club in Chiang Rai to take control of the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.
“That was a very special round,” said the 30-year-old Pagunsan, whose 13-under 131 total tied the lowest 36-hole score this season.
In-form Prayad, however, maintained his hopes of a third victory this month with an impressive 65 that included a chip-in eagle, while South Korea’s Mo Joong-kyung charged into contention with a bogey-free 64 for a 133 total.
The rest of the field trailed in their wake, with India’s Arjun Singh, Chang Tse-peng of Taiwan, Singapore-based Australian Unho Park and American Han Lee lying a distant fourth on 137, six shots back from the leader.
Starting from the 10th hole, Pagunsan’s game caught fire at the 18th where he collected his third birdie of the day to add to two earlier birdies and a lone bogey.
He scored six more on the trot after the turn and narrowly missed equaling the Asian Tour’s eight-in-a-row birdie record, held by Prayad and Craig Spence, at the par-three seventh hole. But his 25-foot attempt slid wide.
A 12-foot putt on the eighth hole saw Pagunsan complete a superb inward 29.
“Thailand is a good place for me and I always feel comfortable here,” the Filipino said.
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