Tabuena 1 behind Canadian leader

TARLAC—Except for an opening-hole bogey, no one would have thought that Miguel Tabuena still had a touch of the flu just the day before.

The talented 21-year-old battled back with six birdies yesterday for a five-under-par 67, just a stroke off Canada’s Lindsey Renolds, after the first round of the 98th Philippine Open presented by ICTSI at soggy Luisita here.

Teeing off late when conditions were much harsher, Tabuena emerged as the best-performing Filipino as he got his latest search for a breakthrough international title off on the right foot.

“Considering my condition [earlier in the week], I can’t complain,” said Tabuena, who needed just 11 putts in a scorching back-nine 32 that put him into a tie for second with Thai veteran Chinnarat Phadungsil, India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and former PH Am champion Wang Jeung-hun of South Korea.

“I’m feeling good going into the last two days.”

Renolds had the benefit of an early teeoff and didn’t feel the winds until later in his round, maximizing the opportunity to take the lead with a flawless 66 in the rain-shortened, $300,000 event.

“I just played the best I could,” said Renolds, who needs to win to keep his Asian Tour card for next year. “It is a case of winning or going back to Q School for me this week. I am just staying focused.”

Juvic Pagunsan mixed seven birdies with three bogeys to be just two clear of Renolds like Korean Kim Gihwan, Thailand’s Kirawat Kaewsiribandit, former Open winner Mardan Mamat of Singapore and local longshot Johnrey Pactolerin.

With winter rules in effect after strong rains cut the tournament to just 54 holes, a total of 52 players cracked par over the old layout that is hosting Asia’s oldest national championship for the first time.

Defending champion Marcus Both of Australia wasn’t one of them, though, and would need a lot of catching up starting today’s second round.

Both had a roller-coaster 34-38 round with four birdies and as many bogeys and will be teeing off today six strokes adrift like another fancied Filipino, Antonio Lascuña, who signed for a wet double bogey on the par-5 17th—the course’s signature hole.

Wang and Bhullar shot big rounds despite little knowledge of the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-created gem.

Long-hitting Clyde Mondilla and Jonel Ababa fired 70s to be in the mix together with 18 others, including another obscure local hope, Nilo Salahog.

The leading scores: (Filipino unless stated)
66—L. Renolds (CAN) 33-33; 67—C. Phadungsil (THA) 34-33, G. Bhullar (IND) 33-34, Wang JH (KOR) 33-34, M. Tabuena 35-32; 68—G. Kim (KOR) 34-34, J. Pagunsan 35-33, J. Pactolerin 36-32, T. Kaewsribandit (THA) 33-35, M. Mamat (SIN) 35-33; 69—S. Sharma (IND) 36-33, N. Turner (IRL) 34-35, J. Janewattananond (THA) 31-38, S. Baek (KOR) 35-34, K. Samooja (FIN) 34-35, K. Horne (RSA) 37-32, S. Barr (AUS) 37-32; 70—KD Shan (SIN) 35-35, K. Joshi (IND) 34-36, J. Ababa 37-33, M. Perera (SRI) 37-33, A. Groom (AUS) 34-36, Lu WC (TPE) 35-35, C. Mondilla 35-35, B. Munson (USA) 35-35, Kim TW (KOR) 36-34, Goh KY (SIN) 34-36, P. Suprupamai (THA) 36-34, M. Gilas (AUS) 34-36, S. Griffiths (ENG) 36-34, P. Sansaksin (THA) 35-35, N. Salahog 35-35.