With time running out on the 2016 season Miguel Pupo has some work to do in order to keep his Championship Tour life alive. Heading into the MEO Rip Curl Pro he was sitting No. 23, one spot outside the crucial cutoff. In desperate need of a solid result he had quite the Round Three obstacle with Kelly Slater.
Pupo, the Brazilian journeyman, was unfazed by the specter of the greatest of all time. He had Slater on his heels within minutes after nabbing a few solid scores, and held the lead through Slater's last-gasp charge. Miguel's CT survival is still far from secure, but this win was a big step in the right direction.