Tabuena ahead by 1 after a 68

Miguel Tabuena gunned down seven birdies on the way to a four-under-par 68 Thursday and a one-shot lead over Jonel Ababa halfway through the P2.5-million Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open at Luisita.

Two of Tabuena’s three bogeys came on the front nine—his homeward nine—but he birdied the uphill, par-5 ninth to salvage a 35-33 card and wrest the solo lead after starting the day tied with two others.

He now has a 135 total, one clear of Ababa, who shot a 69, and two-up on Guido Van der Valk, who returned a second straight 69 in one of the Dutchman’s finest starts on the tour in years.

Antonio Lascuña, another pre-tournament favorite, struggled to a double bogey-marred 75 to be 11 shots off and virtually out of it, unless he turns the course upside down with ridiculously low scores in the final two days.

“You have to hit it straight off the tees because the fairways are so tight,” Tabuena said, ruing his bogeys, one of them coming on the par-5 fifth.

The 44-year-old Lascuña, who threw away a four-shot lead in the final round and lost by four to Tabuena last week at Wack Wack East, signed for a 5 on the par-3 17th, the course’s signature hole, and had just one birdie for the day.

Zannie Boy Gialon, the third man in the lead after Day 1, fired a 73 and dropped five strokes off the pace along with Micah Shin (69), Mark Fernando (70), Randy Garalde (70) and Keanu Jahns (71).

Jobim Carlos was the only amateur who made it to the final two rounds, following up an opening 73 with a 70 for 143, in a tie with Junro Mamaril (70) and Joenard Rates (73).

The revered Frankie Miñoza missed the cut, pegged at 148, by a stroke after returning a 74. He was joined by leg winner Ferdie Aunzo, who ballooned to an 81 for 151.  Musong R. Castillo