Crucial birdie nets Tabuena ICTSI Palos Verdes crown

MIGUEL Tabuena birdied the 16th hole yesterday to nip Elmer Salvador and rule the ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic in Davao, his closing three-under-par 69 making the former teen prodigy the first double leg winner on tour this season.

Tabuena cracked 70 in all four days and totaled 265 over the well-manicured layout, good for a one-shot victory over the game Salvador, who carded a 67 that fell just short of a second straight win.

After shooting a 64 on Friday to take a three-shot lead into the final round, Tabuena was going smoothly and was ahead by five after nine holes before signing for a triple bogey 7 on the 13th that allowed Salvador back in the mix.

Salvador finally pulled level after his seventh birdie that came on the 15th, only for Tabuena to hit a beautiful approach on the next hole for the easy birdie that proved to be the marginal shot.

“I just got lucky in the end,” Tabuena said as he scored a follow-up to his Splendido leg win last March. He also has three second place finishes this season and is the new Order of Merit leader with earnings of more than P1.6 million.

Clyde Mondilla carved out a 68 and was third at 273, with Antonio Lascuña finishing another shot back after a 69, remaining winless after the eighth leg of the season’s schedule. Lascuña won five stops last year and ruled the OOM for the third straight time.

Michael Bibat, the leader after the first two rounds, submitted a level 72 and was caught in a tie for fifth spot by Orlan Sumcad at 278.

Sumcad, the long-hitter out of Lipa City, picked up two shots in his last four holes and like so many others in the top 10, broke par in all four days.