JUVIC PAGUNSAN had a disastrous start in the Bridgestone Open, carding a five-over 76 in the first round on Thursday in Chiba, Japan.
The Filipino ballstriker was tied for 93rd, 12 strokes off pacesetter Hiroyuki Fujita who had a 7-under 64.
Pagunsan, who placed second in last week’s Japan Open, hit double-bogey right on his first hole, the par-4 No. 10, but got to the turn just one over at 37.
The front nine of Sodegaura Country Club proved too tough, however, for the 34-year-old from Bacolod and he dropped five shots in the first seven holes before hitting birdie on No. 8 for a 39.
Fujita was two strokes ahead of two-time former Japan Tour money winner Toru Taniguchi.
Masahiro Kawamura, Kazuhiro Yamashita, and Hyung Sung Kim of Korea shared third place at 67.