Pucay closes out with eagle-aided 69, finishes 51st
11/15/2009 | 09:08 PM
FANLING, Hong Kong — Filipino Mars Pucay charged back with an eagle-aided one-under-par 69 but his efforts came up way short of what turned out to be a down-the-wire victory by France’s Gregory Bourdy at the close of the $2.5-million UBS Hong Kong Open Sunday.
Pucay masterfully placed his second shot that set up that beautiful eagle on the par-five No. 13 which was the highlight of a rather roller-coaster round. He matched that with three more birdies as against the same number of bogeys for that 69 and a three-under-par 277 total.
For making the cut and placing 51st, Pucay, a former winner in the Mercedes-Benz Tour, pocketed P493,500 ($10,500) in the cash-rich Asian Tour event.
“It’s a big amount alright but I would have liked winning better. There are a few tournaments left in the Asian Tour schedule for me and the rest of the Filipinos to play in," Pucay told GMANews.TV.
While Pucay struggled, Bourdy was in control for most part of the day. As a matter of fact, he fended off a late rally by Northern Island’s Rory McIlroy as he carded a three-under-par 67 to win big.
The honor of winning Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event went to the Frenchman after he sealed his third career victory at the Hong Kong Golf Club with a four-day total of 19-under-par 261.
“I wanted to stay focused on my game, play shot by shot and I knew if I was three or four under it would be okay to win the tournament. I didn’t look at the leaderboard until the 18th so I didn’t know Rory played well," said Bourdy, who won the last of his two European Tour titles in Estoril last year.
McIlroy’s late rally was not enough to make up for the heartbreak of last year and he had to settle for second place again after signing off with a 64 for a 263 total.
He was left to rue a costly bogey on the 17th that derailed his chances of erasing the pain of last year where he finished in second place too.
“I knew if I had holed it, it was the only way I had any chance of winning. The grain pushed it to the left on the way by and I thought it would be the same on the way back but it just went straight," said McIlroy.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari had a 64 to take a share of third place with Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands on 264s while England’s Ian Poulter and France’s Raphael Jacquelin were tied for fifth on 266s.
Juvic Pagunsan, the only other Filipino who made it through the weekend rounds, was two rungs lower than Pucay at 53rd with a two-under 278 after an even 70.
Pagunsan racked up three birdies, including two straight on Nos. 7 and 8. However, he was still off his usual game as he dropped shots as well.
The former Asian Tour top rookie sensation in 2006 earned P459,000 ($9,750). – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV
Pucay masterfully placed his second shot that set up that beautiful eagle on the par-five No. 13 which was the highlight of a rather roller-coaster round. He matched that with three more birdies as against the same number of bogeys for that 69 and a three-under-par 277 total.
Mars Pucay
“It’s a big amount alright but I would have liked winning better. There are a few tournaments left in the Asian Tour schedule for me and the rest of the Filipinos to play in," Pucay told GMANews.TV.
While Pucay struggled, Bourdy was in control for most part of the day. As a matter of fact, he fended off a late rally by Northern Island’s Rory McIlroy as he carded a three-under-par 67 to win big.
The honor of winning Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event went to the Frenchman after he sealed his third career victory at the Hong Kong Golf Club with a four-day total of 19-under-par 261.
“I wanted to stay focused on my game, play shot by shot and I knew if I was three or four under it would be okay to win the tournament. I didn’t look at the leaderboard until the 18th so I didn’t know Rory played well," said Bourdy, who won the last of his two European Tour titles in Estoril last year.
McIlroy’s late rally was not enough to make up for the heartbreak of last year and he had to settle for second place again after signing off with a 64 for a 263 total.
He was left to rue a costly bogey on the 17th that derailed his chances of erasing the pain of last year where he finished in second place too.
“I knew if I had holed it, it was the only way I had any chance of winning. The grain pushed it to the left on the way by and I thought it would be the same on the way back but it just went straight," said McIlroy.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari had a 64 to take a share of third place with Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands on 264s while England’s Ian Poulter and France’s Raphael Jacquelin were tied for fifth on 266s.
Juvic Pagunsan, the only other Filipino who made it through the weekend rounds, was two rungs lower than Pucay at 53rd with a two-under 278 after an even 70.
Pagunsan racked up three birdies, including two straight on Nos. 7 and 8. However, he was still off his usual game as he dropped shots as well.
The former Asian Tour top rookie sensation in 2006 earned P459,000 ($9,750). – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV
