Tabuena cards 70, overtakes Dutchman

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Defending champion Miguel Tabuena carded a two-under 70 yesterday to go one-shot ahead of overnight leader Guido Van Der Valk of The Netherlands halfway into the P5 million The Country Club Invitational at the TCC course here.

Tabuena took advantage of the 36year-old Van Der Valk’s struggles while overcoming his own problems to mix his round with four birdies and a pair of bogeys and produce a two-day aggregate of 141.

The 23-year-old had mixed feelings after taking the lead, saying that there’s plenty left to be desired going into today’s third round.

“I was pretty solid in this (second) round,” said Tabuena, whose four birdies were on 8, 10, 14 and 17. “But I need to fix my driving. I missed a few drives today. Still, I like the way I played.”

Van Der Valk, who opened the tournament with a 68, struggled with a 74 to fall a shot off Tabuena.

Davao-based American Micah Shin is at solo third at 145 following a 73, followed by Filipino-German Keanu Jahns (147), Tony Lascuna (149) and Elmer Salvador (151) in the tournament put up by ICTSI president and chairman Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo.

The most crucial of the four birdies Tabuena made came on the 17 when his ball found the hole off a 20-foot shot, although he made two putts on 7 – a difficult downhill shot – and 16 where he missed the green.

The weather was less of a factor this time for Tabuena as strong winds started to punish the participants when he was on his last four holes, which for him was a bit of luck.

That was not the case, however, for Van Der Valk as conditions made it difficult for him after seven holes. But he pointed on the speed of the green as one of the challenges that affected his performance.

“It was not great, but it was not bad,” said the Dutchman, who birdied on 10 and 12 but bogeyed on 2, 5, 13 and 17.

“I struggled at the pace of the green, I couldn’t get the right speed I three-putted 2 and 5. I played ok it was good. Well not like yesterday (first round). You have to play well here to have a good score.”