Tabuena stays in now crowded leaderboard

TEENER Miguel Tabuena bounced back from his first double bogey in three days with a birdie on the next hole to salvage a 1-over par 72 that kept him in the lead with three others after 54 holes of the Queens Cup 2012 Saturday at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Thailand.

The 17 year-old Tabuena, who shared the lead in the first two rounds, finished with a 4-under 209 total like second-round co-leader Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand (72), Siddikur of Bangladesh (71) and another Thai, Varut Chomchalam, who produced the day’s best round of 5-under 66.

Two strokes behind the leading quartet was a five-man logjam that stood just a shot ahead  of reigning Asian Tour champion Juvic Pagunsan as the Filipino No. 1 rallied on the back nine to submit a 72 for 212.

Mars Pucay fired a 68 and became the third best Filipino at 214. Tony Lascuña stood at 216 after a 72 followed by Angelo Que (73) at 218 and Jay Bayron (74) at 220.

Tabuena, a second-year-pro riding the momentum of a second win in his country’s golf circuit last week, was even par for the day after a birdie on the 14th before he took a 5 on the par-3 15th.

But he quickly atoned for the double bogey with a birdie on the next hole.

“I’m in exactly the same position as in the Philippine Open, tied for the lead,” said Tabuena, who collapsed in the final round as Mardan Mamat of Singapore coasted to victory. Asian Tour News