BACOLOD – Juvic Pagunsan failed to cash in on a switch in times but kept his game on all throughout as he fired a bogey-free 66 to take the clubhouse lead – five ahead of a faltering Jhonnel Ababa halfway through the rich ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic here yesterday.

Pagunsan birdied the first two holes in an early start but slowed down with a run of pars although his other birdies on Nos. 9 and 15 netted him a 32-34 round to match his opening four-under card and stay on track for back-to-back championships in this P3 million event.

With Ababa throwing away three strokes on the par-5 No. 18, the hometown hero surged ahead by five with a 36-hole aggregate of 132 with first day leader Yudai Suzuki of Japan still on the fairway trying to duplicate his solid 64 Wednesday that put him two-shots up on the most fancied player in the fold.

“My goal is to hit the fairways and greens and make the most of my (birdie) chances,” said Pagunsan, who continued to defy the odds, including keeping his game on a competitive level while attending to his ailing wife.

“It’s a day-to-day struggle. Hati pa rin ang focus ko. I just hope to do better in the last two days,” added Asia’s former No. 1, who nipped reigning Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner but absentee Jobim Carlos on the second playoff to win this event last year.

Ababa, who carded a 69 in the first round, birdied four of the first seven holes then fought back from a bogey mishap on the ninth with back-to-back birdies from No. 13 to close within two off Pagunsan with a six-under overall card. But the three-time PGT Asia leg winner hit a wayward shot on the 18th and ended up with a triple-bogey, settling for a 68 and a 137.

Five players pooled 138s, including Jay Bayron, who gunned downf our birdies in the first 10 holes but faltered with three bogeys against two more birdies in the last eight to shoot a 67. Michael Bibat and 2018 PGT Asia Luisita winner David Gleeson of Australia fired identical 69s while Richard Sinfuego, who matched Pagunsan’s opening card, blew a 34 start with a wobbly backside stint marred by three bogeys. He ended up with a 72, the same finish that ruined PGT Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational winner Guido Van der Valk’s charge in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

The top 40 plus will advance to the final two rounds with the cutoff line currently at two-over with the likes of Richard Abaring (71), Ferdie Aunzo (69), Albin Engino (73), Elmer Salvador (70), and Aussie Fidel Concepcion (67) fighting to make it through the weekend play of the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.

In danger of missing the cut are Ira Alido (74), 2014 champion Tony Lascuña (74), who both had 143s, and Thai Tawan Phongphun (73-144) with Spain’s Marcos Pastor, who placed sixth in last week’s Bacolod Golf Challenge in Murcia, out of it with a 77-148.