Tabuena falters in Kuchar’s company

MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena lost his touch, rhythm and all when it mattered most, limping with a five-over 76 and ending up joint eighth in the Singapore Open ruled by Matt Kuchar at Sentosa’s Serapong course yesterday.

Just three strokes behind Kuchar after 54 holes, Tabuena failed to go up-and-down on Nos. 3 and 5 that snapped an impressive bogey-free run in the last 38 holes, needing to knock down a putt from short range on the last hole to avoid finishing without a birdie.

But his closing 39-37 that included four more bogeys on Nos. 9, 12, 14 and 16 ruined what could’ve been an explosive campaign by the 25-year-old Filipino shotmaker in the $1 million event after putting himself in contention with rounds of 68, 65 and 66.

But he cracked under pressure while playing alongside Kuchar and last year’s champion Jazz Janewattananond, missing five fairways and six greens while struggling with 36 putts, marred by a couple of three-putt miscues on Nos. 14 and 16.

He wound up with a 275 for joint eighth with Danny Masrin (68) of Indonesia and India’s Rashid Khan (70), nine shots behind Kuchar, who bucked a triple-bogey mishap on No. 7 with three birdies and clutch pars in the last 11 holes.

The many-time PGA Tour winner closed out with a 70 for an 18-under 266, pocketing the $180,000 purse in his first stint in the annual event co-sanctioned by Asian Tour and Japan PGA Tour.