Tabuena leads Open favorites

Filipino ace Miguel Tabuena, Korean-American Micah Shin and Englishman Steve Lewton will be the players to watch when the Centennial Solaire Philippine Open gets going Wednesday at The Country Club in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Tabuena has always done well in the difficult Tom Weiskof-designed layout, winning the 2017 Invitational and placing second behind the Davao-based Shin in this year’s edition.

In addition, Tabuena also shared fifth to eight spots in the 2017 Philippine Open won by Lewton via playoff over American Johannes Veerman.

Though Tabuena’s winning total in the 2017 TCC Invitational was a forgettable 301, 13 over, he scored well this year, finishing second to Shin by one shot following a four-under 284 total.

The 2018 TCC Invitational was reduced to a personal duel between Shin and Tabuena as the third-placer, Dutchman Guido Van der Valk, limped home with a 300 total, 16 shots off Tabuena.

The elite 132-player field, including six former champions, 30 mainstays of the co-sanctioning OneAsia Tour and 45 other foreign players from PGT Asia, will be battling for the top $108,000 purse out of the record $600,000 pot put up by Solaire Resort and Casino. —ROY LUARCA