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November 14: Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines earned some measure of consolation with his runner-up finish at the US$6 million Barclays Singapore Open on Monday morning where his career biggest cheque of US$666,660 shot him up to the top of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.
 
Pagunsan was pipped to the title in Asia’s richest national Open at the Sentosa Golf Club by Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who won the rain-shortened event with a birdie on the second play-off hole.
 
The 33-year-old Filipino now leads the race to become Asia’s number one after the top-four ranked players on the merit list – S.S.P. Chowrasia of India, Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka, Australian David Gleeson and Bangladeshi Siddikur – all missed the halfway cut in Singapore.
 
With a season’s collection of US$721, 298.60, Pagunsan is primed to become the first Filipino to win the prestigious Order of Merit title with only three events remaining on the 2011 Asian Tour Schedule.
 
“It surprises me because I am at the top now. I almost lost my card this year and it is a surprise,” said Pagunsan who leads by US$276,770.10 over second-placed Chowrasia.
 
“I will play in the rest of the events in Asia and I want to get the Order of Merit title. I really want to get that. It is a big achievement for my life,” added Pagunsan, whose lone victory on the Asian Tour was in the 2007.
 
It was the second time that Pagunsan’s hopes of winning a co-sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour event was dashed by a Spaniard as he also finished second behind Jose Manuel Lara in the 2006 Hong Kong Open, the year he was named Rookie of the Year.
 
It was also the fifth runner-up finish for the Filipino.
 
His earnings this morning nearly matched his career’s total where he has won approximately US$930,000 in the six seasons that he has spent on the Asian Tour.
 
Pagunsan will now head to the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia, which is just across the border from Singapore to compete in the US$2 million tournament, which is also sanctioned with the European Tour for the first time.
 
“I work hard at every tournament and I prepare myself well for every tournament. Who knows, with this finish, maybe Juvic can play the big events now,” said Pagunsan who will now get the opportunity to compete at the British Open and WGC Cadillac Championship next season.
 
ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT – TOP-20
Pos. Player Winnings (US$) as of November 16, 2011
1. Juvic PAGUNSAN (PHI)  $721,298.60
2. S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) $444,528.50
3. Tetsuji HIRATSUKA (JPN) $435,817.93
4. Jbe KRUGER   (RSA) $342,283.62
5. Thaworn WIRATCHANT   (THA) $297,484.63
6. David GLEESON   (AUS) $292,880.00
7. SIDDIKUR   (BAN) $266,028.04
8. LU Wei-chih   (TPE) $259,080.47
9. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT   (THA) $218,867.81
10. Thongchai JAIDEE   (THA) $201,020.74
11. Chapchai NIRAT   (THA) $200,987.58
12. CHAN Yih-Shin   (TPE) $192,622.84
13. Tjaart VAN DER WALT   (RSA) $187,676.17
14. Himmat RAI   (IND) $187,040.86
15. Chiragh KUMAR   (IND) $176,337.29
16. Jeev Milkha SINGH   (IND) $171,958.15
17. MO Joong-kyung   (KOR) $170,662.96
18. Angelo QUE   (PHI) $167,431.23
19. Prayad MARKSAENG   (THA) $164,947.00
20. Rikard KARLBERG   (SWE) $157,013.88

Courtesy of Asian Tour, www.asiantour.com

From Golf Digest Singapore November issue