By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Home sweet home.
Fittingly delivering a performance for the ages on the same course he grew up molding his game, Miguel Tabuena showed incredible poise and ruled the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus on a damp Sunday, Oct. 26, before a cheering crowd at the Sta. Elena Golf Club in Laguna.
Sharing the lead with Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut and China’s Sampson Zheng entering the final round, Tabuena left the two in the dust with a scintillating bogey-free third straight 7-under-par 65 to capture his breakthrough crown in the $2 million meet.
A grandson of the late basketball great Louie Tabuena who is known as “Jumping Jack” during his time, Tabuena pocketed the lion’s share of $360,000 (around P21.1 million).
He had a four-day tally of 24-under 264 and won by three over Japanese Kazuki Higa and Yosuke Asaji after earlier rounds of 69, 65 and 65.
“I’m still on a high,” said the 31-year-old Tabuena. “I’ve always wanted to have my hands on this trophy, and I’m just glad that the first one is at home and at my home club.”
After the final hole — a short putt for par — Tabuena fell on his knees in sheer ectacy as the crowd roared in celebration with him.
Tabuena’s emergence came on the hole he had been eyeing all week — the 557-yar par-5 eighth which he had failed to birdie in each of the first three rounds.
“I needed to play that (hole) better,” he said after the third round.
He did exactly that — even more — by blasting a sensational pitch-in eagle from the fringe to take a one-shot lead over Zheng.
It was all Tabuena needed to gain confidence heading to the next holes.
From there on, Tabuena was on fire, slowly but surely pulling away by shooting four birdies on his last 10 holes.
It was a spectacular week for Tabuena, who highlighted his game by firing five eagles throughout the round.
“I’m glad that we were able to get it done this week. It’s what I needed. The body wasn’t 100 percent heading to this tournament because of neck spasms, but it was nice to be able to get things done,” Tabuena said.
Higa carved out a similar 65 while Asaji posted a 67 to settle behind Tabuena with identical 267, while Suwannarut, who led the first two rounds before Tabuena and Zheng caught up with him at the end of the third, faded with a 69 for 268 to finish tied for fourth with Zheng, who also shot a 69.
Justin Quiban posted a 70 for 277 at joint 20th, while seasoned Angelo Que carved out a 68 for 278 at joint 30th.
