Juvic Pagunsan capped a remarkable, life-and-career-changing month yesterday by finishing 10th and becoming the first Filipino to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Before the Taiwan Masters in the first weekend of November, the 33-year-old from Manila had earned just US$42,972 this year, was 64th on the order of merit and in danger of losing his card.
But a tied-ninth in Taipei gave him some confidence, and when the Singapore Open was curtailed because of rain, Pagunsan found himself in a play-off with Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and although he lost, he still pocketed US$666,660 to soar to the top of the rankings.
Three 68s and a 70 at Fanling this week left him on six under and holding another cheque for Euro41,007 (US$55,085). Another good result at the US$1 million Thailand Golf Championship next week would see him earn more in 2011 than the rest of his five-year pro career combined.
Winning the order of merit also means guaranteed entry to the British Open and US$8.5 million WGC-Cadillac Championship in 2012, plus a Japan Tour card.
'New Asian Tour No 1, it sounds really good,' said Pagunsan, hugging his daughter outside the scorer's hut. 'It's one of the biggest achievements in my entire life.'