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Minoza makes it a Filipino double weekend

Filipinos Juvic Pagunsan and Frankie Minoza will come into this week’s US$4 million Barclays Singapore Open with a spring in their step after weekend successes on the Asian Tour and Japan Tour respectively.

Pagunsan eagled the final hole to win the Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational by a shot from Indian rookie Gaganjeet Bhullar while veteran Minoza defeated promising 20-year-old Korean Lee Dong-hwan in a playoff to triumph in the ABC Championship.

The 29-year-old Pagunsan, who came close to winning the UBS Hong Kong Open last season, recorded his first victory on the Asian Tour while the decorated Minoza lifted his seventh title on the Japan Tour.

The double triumph ahead of the Barclays Singapore Open, dubbed the ‘Major of Asia’, will inspire the Filipino duo as they take on an elite field including world number two Phil Mickelson of the United States, two-time defending champion Adam Scott of Australia, three-time Major champions Ernie Els and Vijay Singh and Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju, a winner twice on the PGA Tour this season.

Minoza, winner of the Philippine Open on the Asian Tour in February, shot a closing 70 to tie on 14-under-par 274 with Lee who blitzed round in 66. The 47-year-old Minoza clinched the title in sudden death and pocketed a cheque for US$210,000.

Japan’s Shingo Katayama, who will tee it up at the Barclays Singapore Open for a second successive year, finished third following his win the previous week in the Bridgestone Open.

Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol ended the ABC Championship in joint eighth place while countryman Prayad Marksaeng was a shot adrift in joint 12th.

In the United States, former Asian Tour regular Daniel Chopra of Sweden was tied for the lead with countryman Fredrik Jacobson and Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama in the Ginn Classic when the final round was halted by darkness.

The trio will have to return today (Monday) to battle for the title in the US$4.5 million event which was thrown off schedule by heavy rains earlier in the week.

Chopra, Jacobson and Maruyama were all at 18-under par, Maruyama and Jacobson through 16 holes and Chopra through 15. Korea’s Charlie Wi closed with a 71 and was in joint sixth spot.

On the European Tour, former Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee tied 11th in the Mallorca Classic after a final round 66. Korea’s Yang Yong-eun finished 21st and Jyoti Randhawa of India 53rd.

October 29, 2007