Tabuena fades at the finish, slips to joint 32nd after 72

MANILA, Philippines -- Miguel Tabuena hobbled at the finish and blew a three-under card and a spot at Top 15 as he ended up with an even-par 72 after 54 holes of the Volvo China Open at the Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzen Saturday.

Tabuena was on his way to driving past a slew of rivals with a birdie-birdie effort from No. 13 for a running three-under card and a six-under overall total. But he failed to rescue a par on the par-3 16th after missing the green and holed out with a double bogey on the par-5 17th.

With a 35-37, the ICTSI-backed ace settled for a three-day total of 213, dropping eight spots to joint 32nd, 11 strokes behind Chinese Chen Guxin, who unleashed a 66 to wrest the lead at 202.

That was three strokes clear of Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand and local amateur Ding Wenyi, who matched 205 after 65 and 67, respectively, although the Chinese could’ve hiked his lead if not for a three-putt miscue on No. 18.

But Guxin, who beat Lloyd Go in sudden death to win the BRG Open of the Asian Development Tour in Vietnam last year, does enjoy a big cushion against Suwannarut and Wenyi with their next rivals laying six strokes behind at 208.

They include Hung Chien-yao of Chinese-Taipei (66), John Lyras of Australia (67), Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh (69), American Berry Henson (70) and halfway leader Eugenio Chacarra, who fumbled with a 73.

Angelo Que also floundered with a frontside 39 after a second round 68 as he wound up with a 73 and fell to Tabuena’s group after moving to joint 17th midway through the $1.5 million Asian Tour event.

He actually strung up three straight birdies from No. 11 to wage a fightback but stumbled with a bogey on No. 16 for a 34-73.

Justin Quiban likewise failed to make a charge with a second 72 in three days as he pooled a 215 for a share of 49th.