Tabuena back on top

MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena missed grabbing the solo lead with a last-hole mishap but stayed on track for a third Asian Tour crown as he tied India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu at the helm with a 68 in the third round of Taiwan Masters in New Taipei City yesterday.

Recovering from a mediocre second-round 72 that dropped him from joint lead to third place Friday, Tabuena gunned down five birdies on a nine-hole stretch from No. 6 to regain control but stumbled with a bogey on the 18th for a pair of 34s.

Sandhu also bogeyed the last hole for a 70 as he and Tabuena assembled identical 207s, just one stroke ahead of Thai Suradit Yongcharoenchai, who shot a 68 for a 208, while Viraj Madappa, also from India, and Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman pooled similar 209s after a 65 and 68, respectively, setting the stage for a final round shootout for the crown in the $900,00 event at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.

Nicholas Fung from Malaysia, who shared the first-round lead with Tabueña, also fought back from a second-round 76, matching Tabuena’s four-under card to move to joint sixth at 211 with Brazilian Adilson Da Silva, who also rallied with a 68.