Tabuena heads Manila Masters field Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines—Miguel Tabuena, fresh off a fifth victory on the ICTSI Tour, sets out as the player to beat when the Manila Masters tees off Wednesday at Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.

The 20-year-old will hope to take the form that netted him the Splendido Classic crown over Angelo Que just last Saturday as he battles basically the same field he conquered in Tagaytay.

The other big guns playing are Frankie Miñoza, Elmer Salvador, Cassius Casas and Jay Bayron.

Antonio Lascuña, the reigning three-time Order of Merit winner who was fifth in Tagaytay, has decided to skip the event.

Tabuena gets going at 7:40 a.m. on hole No. 10 together with Dutchman Guido Van Der Valk and Japan’s Toru Nakajima.

Que, who won the Philippine Open at Wack Wack East in 2008, will resume his quest to snap a long spell that dates back to the Selangor Masters in 2010.

The long-hitter ran out of holes chasing Tabuena at Splendido.