Juvic Pagunsan finally achieved his first victory in the Japan Tour after maintaining her three-stroke lead up to the very end of the 2021 Mizuno Open at the JFE Setonankai Golf Course in Okayama, Japan, Sunday.
With the win, the 43-year-old golfer pocketed the Y12-million (P5,216,077.41) winner’s prize and, more importantly, bagged the elusive 2021 British Open ticket.
The former Asian Tour top-earner closed the tournament with a relatively difficult 68 after taking the first two rounds comfortably with 66 and 65 in that order, as inclement weather forced the organizers to shorten the tournament into 52 holes.
Amassing a huge 11-under 131, Pagunsan found himself starting a bit shaky after two bogeys in Nos. 1 and 3, but had recovered back with a birdie carried into the backside as the two others negated the previous blunders.
Three more birdies closed out the Filipino’s tournament with back-to-back ones in the 15th and 16th proving pivotal in this drought-ending win.
Just two weeks ago, Pagunsan came close to winning the title after finishing as runner-up to Rikuya Hoshino at the Asia Pacific Diamond Cup in Kagayama.
