Tabuena pads CAT lead to 8

TARLAC — Miguel Tabuena sustained his brilliant form, coming through with an eagle-spiked eightunder 64 to all but wrap up another championship – and perhaps the coveted Order of Merit crown on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour.

Protecting a shaky one-stroke lead over Jhonnel Ababa halfway through the Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) Open, Tabuena rattled off three straight birdies from No. 1 against Ababa’s lone birdie then knocked down a pair of seven-footers on Nos. 6 and 8 for a sizzling 31, turning the Luisita Golf and Country Club into a virtual playground under preferred lies rule.

With a 31 and two pars at the back, the 21-year-old ace shotmaker drove to the left side fairway of the par-5 No. 12 then came through with a terrific 5-wood second shot from 236 yards to within 15 feet for eagle.

He did slow down with one birdie in the last six holes but his 64 and a 17under 199 put him eight shots ahead of Ababa, who carded a 71 for a 207, and 10 strokes up on American Micah Shin and local bet Zanieboy Gialon, who both shot 69s, and Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who turned in a 71, for 209s.

The last 18 holes of the R2.5-million championship could be a victory walk for the hottest player on the tour, who has primed himself up for a series of tournaments in Japan starting next week, along with absentee Angelo Que and Japan-based Juvic Pagunsan.

“My game plan is to place safety shots off the tee and make the most of my birdie chances,” said Tabuena, a three-leg winner who has been playing with a high level of confidence following his come-from-behind win over Tony Lascuña at the ICTSI Open at Wack Wack last week.

“But I’ve really been working hard on my game, trying to build some confidence and momentum for the Japan Tour,” said Tabuena, whose impending victory, barring any major disaster today, worth R450,000 will put him unassailably ahead in the OOM race with one tournament left at Sherwood next week.