Red-hot Tabuena takes 6-shot lead

It’s just the first round but in-form Miguel Tabuena appeared poised for a runaway win in the opening leg of the Philippine Golf Tour season after firing a mind-bending 10-under par 62 at the ICTSI Anvaya Cove Invitational in Morong, Bataan.

Tabuena fired birdies in clusters and then shot an eagle on the par 5 15th to post a six-stroke lead over Jay Bayron (68) and eight shots over third placer American John Jules (70).

Also left in his wake were seven other players who managed a 1-under-par 71, nine strokes behind.

Tabuena’s hot streak follows a relatively successful campaign in the Asian Tour where he finished tied fourth in the Singapore Open and tied for 38th in the Myanmar Open.

The 22-year- old Philippine No. 1 birdied four straight from the first hole, then had consecutive birdies on seven and eight, 10 and 11 and 15 and 16. His only blemish was a bogey on the ninth, a par 5.

“It was really a fantastic game, the best round in my career. Everything’s in place,” said Tabuena, who had expressed his desire to win this event during Tuesday’s pro-am sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. “I never played this game before and hopefully, I sustain this form the rest of the tournament.”

Tabuena’s brilliant round wiped out the previous best of 64 posted by Angelo Que in the final round to rally from six and beat Tony Lascuna by three in this event last year.

Though Tabuena scorched the course with a string of birdies, Anvaya was was not exactly easy. Of the more than 100 players who teed off, only 10 managed to break par.

Tied for fourth at 1 under were John Kier Abdon, Charles Hong, Clyde Mondilla, Mars Pucay, Guido van der Valk, Toru Nakajima and the veteran Antonio Lascuna.

Que shot a 76 while Frankie Minoza scored a 73.

Lascuna, the third player in the featured flight, praised Tabuena’s nearflawless game, saying “He just a played a solid all-around game.”

Que opened with a birdie on No. 10 but never recovered from two double bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17, limping with a four- over 76 for joint 34th and in danger of missing the cut on the very tournament he ruled in stirring come-frombehind fashion.

Still, the former three-time Asian Tour winner said he was satisfied with his game but rued lack of sleep and lack of practice round after arriving here early Wednesday in time for the event.