TAIPEI—Asian Tour rookie Miguel Tabuena cooled off with a 1-under-par 71 and slipped into a tie for third place halfway through the $600,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Friday.
With his opening 67, the 17-year-old Filipino, the tournament’s youngest player, posted a 36-hole total of 138 like Aussie Kieran Pratt, who shot a 68 at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.
The two stood six shots behind Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei, who posted a second straight 66, and one stroke off former Asian Tour No. 1 Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who shot a 68 at 137.
Angelo Que, the top Filipino on the Asian Order of Merit at No. 26, moved into a three-way tie for 11th after firing a 71 for 143.
Juvic Pagunsan was a stroke off at 144 after a second 72 followed by Antonio Lascuña (73) at 145 and Elmer Salvador (73) and Artemio Murakami (70) at 146. Mars Pucay missed the cut of 148 by one stroke with rounds of 75-74.