Tabuena cools down, but keeps 6-shot lead

MORONG, Bataan — Miguel Tabuena kept his six-stroke lead after firing a 2-under-par 70 in the second round of the ICTSI Anvaya Cove Invitational yesterday with Jay Bayron trying to keep within striking distance by maintaining second place.

Tabuena moved to 12 under for the tournament following a record-setting 10-under-par 62 in Wednesday’s first round. But he failed to come close to his best round as a professional after two bogeys and a double bogey, negated a six-birdie effort.

Bayron also shot a 70 to prevent the leader from pulling too far away. Bayron was at 138 while Tabuena was at 132 for the tournament.

Tony Lascuna fired one of the day’s best score, a 3-under-par 69 but is eight strokes behind and in third place, 4-under for the tournament

At the rate scores are being posted, even par seemed more than a decent score as only eight broke par and the cut may go as high as 10 over.

Five birdies in the first six holes at the back hinted of a new record but the 21-year- old Tabuena reeled back with a double-bogey on No. 17 on an errant drive then fumbled with two more bo- geys against a birdie at the front to finish with a 37-33.

Though there are two rounds left, Bayron, who also bogeyed the tough par-5 ninth, concedes defeat, saying Tabuena is playing on a different level.

“I don’t think we can catch up. Miguel’s playing on a different level,” said Bayron.

But Tabuena remains wary of his rivals and his chances for the top R650,000 purse in the 72-hole championship sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., saying it’s still a long way to go and anything can happen on a tough, windy course that continued to bedevil the games of the rest of the field.

“It’s still not finished, there are still two more days,” said Tabuena, eyeing a 20-under overall finish. “But same strategy – risk and reward. If I can pull it off, why not?”

Toru Nakajima, the Japanese topnotcher of the recent ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour Q-School, missed posting the best score in another hot, blustery day with a late bogey, his 69 putting him alongside Tony Lascuna, who also gained some ground with a three-under card, at 140, still eight shots behind.