Solid 67 nets Tabuena share of Taiwan Masters lead

MANILA, Philippines – Two-time Asian Tour winner Miguel Tabuena flashed a near-impeccable short game he complemented with superb putting as he shot a bogey-free five-under 67 to share the lead with two others at the start of the Taiwan Masters at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club in New Taipei City Thursday.

Tabuena bucked shaky driving by rescuing pars in four times that he went out of regulation and used 27 putts to complete a 32-35 card and grab first day honors on a course and event where he placed second in 2016.

“I’ve been hitting the ball very solid especially last week but I just didn’t have a good weekend in Japan last week,” said Tabuena, referring to his forgettable tied for 50th effort in Panasonic Open. “But I know I’m starting to play my best golf so far and it helps a bit that I’ve played well here on numerous occasions.”

Tabuena’s roommate Nicholas Fung of Malaysia missed grabbing the solo lead with a missed green bogey on his closing hole on No. 9 for a 33-34 round while Keith Horne of South Africa salvaged a par on the 18ths for a 36-31 card and a three-way for the lead in the $900,000 event which featured some of the leading and rising players in the region and elsewhere.

The troika posted a one-stroke lead over India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu, who turned in a 68, while local bets Wang Wei-Lun and Lin Yung-Lung, Thai Danthai Boonma and Khalin Joshi, also of India, shot identical 69s.

Teeing off at the backside, the diminutive but talented Tabuena, a former Philippine Open titlist, hit just one birdie on the par-5 15th but got fired up by saving pars on Nos. 12, 14 and 16 and scorched the frontside with birdies on Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 7 to put himself on track for a crack at a follow-up to his Queen’s Cup title feat in Thailand last year.

Over in Japan, Angelo Que groped for form at the start of his title-retention drive in the Tokai Classic at the par-71 Miyoshi Country Club West Course in Aichi, hobbling with two bogeys against a birdie for a one-over 72, five strokes behind Mikumu Horikawa and Kazuki Higa, who both shot 67s to lead by one over four others.

Juvic Pagunsan fared worse with a five-over 76 and in danger of missing the cut in the $1 million event.