Frankie Miñoza loses ground; Miguel Tabuena hangs on
CHONBURI, Thailand—Frankie Miñoza dropped five strokes in the last three holes and took a 74 that pulled him out of the top 20 after three rounds of the Thailand Golf Championship Saturday.
But young rookie Miguel Tabuena bucked three bogeys in his last six holes to match par 72 and stay on track to making it to the top 61 in the Asian Order of Merit (OOM), who will keep their Asian Tour cards for the 2012 season.
Miñoza, now a senior campaigner who had earlier rounds of 72-69, was 3-under after the 15th hole before disaster struck. He bogeyed the 16th then doubled bogeyed the 17th and 18th holes for a back-nine 39 that left him in a five-way tie for 25th at 215.
The 17-year-old Tabuena, ranked No. 64 in the OOM, also was at 3-under after 12 holes then dropped shots on the 13th, 14th and 18th holes. He finished tied for 35th place with four others at 216.
Antonio Lascuña, who also needs a strong finish to keep his Tour card next year, carded a 74 and tied with Mars Pucay (75) at 220. Lascuña is ranked 57th going into this final leg of the Asian Tour while Pucay is 52nd.
Meanwhile, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel shot a second straight 6-under 66 to reduce Lee Westwood’s lead to four strokes going into the final round.
Westwood led by 11 strokes at the halfway stage after going bogey-free on the opening two days but a 1-over 73 in the third round allowed Schwartzel to peg him back.
Schwartzel holed four straight birdies from the 2nd hole and was within three shots of the lead heading to the last but a bogey 5 gave Westwood some breathing space.
Westwood’s total of 197 for three rounds left him at 19 under.
Michael Thompson of the United States had a 3-under 69 to lie in third at 12 under, seven shots adrift of Westwood.
