Fiery Tabuena beyond recall, fires 64 for massive 8-shot lead

Continuing to flaunt solid form, Miguel Tabuena left everyone eating his dust yesterday and virtually wrapped up the P2.5-million Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open title after firing a flawless eight-under-par 64 at Luisita.

The 21-year-old Tabuena, also a winner last week at Wack Wack East, fired an eagle and six birdies in winter rules for a 54-hole 199 aggregate, now eight shots clear of Jonel Ababa from one overnight.

Ababa, the Davaoeño campaigner who shared the lead with Tabuena in the first round, shot a 71, with American Micah Shin and Zannie Boy Gialon shooting 69s for 209s like Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands, who returned a 71.

“The game plan has been to put my drives on the right places in the fairways to get good birdie chances,” said Tabuena, who opened up with three straight birdies to set up the hot round.
“I am trying to build confidence going to the Japan Tour.”

With his impending win, Tabuena could also put a lock on a first Order of Merit (OOM) title and dislodge the veteran Antonio Lascuña, the king of the hill in the last three seasons.

Lascuña, who started the tournament in second place in the OOM but with a fairly decent chance to put away a fourth straight with a victory here, fired a 69 and was too far back with a 215.

Tabuena leads the money race with a total of P2,601,917. With this tournament carrying a champion’s purse of P450,000, he would have an insurmountable lead with only the Sherwood leg left in the circuit next week.

Coming into this event, Lascuña had P2,334,960 at second, with Angelo Que, absent this time, having a total of P2,272,131. Musong R. Castillo