Herbert sets scorching pace; Tabuena finds hope with late rally
MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena battled back from a ragged start with a spirited late birdie run but was left with too much ground to recover. He carded a one-over 73 to settle for a share of 38th after the opening round of LIV Golf United Kingdom at JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester, England, on Thursday (Friday Manila time).
The Filipino star endured a roller-coaster round that threatened to unravel early before he rediscovered his touch down the stretch, offering an encouraging glimpse of the form he hopes to sustain over the final three rounds of the lucrative LIV Golf event.
While Tabuena fought to regain momentum, Lucas Herbert of Ripper GC stole the spotlight with a dazzling 11-under 61, mixing an eagle with nine birdies to seize a commanding three-shot lead.
Herbert wasted little time asserting himself, reeling off five birdies over his opening nine before adding an eagle on the par-5 10th. He then capped his spectacular round with four more birdies over his closing stretch to establish the tournament's early benchmark.
Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau matched Herbert's eagle output with one of his own on the par-5 sixth but settled for a 64, good for solo second entering Friday's second round.
Legion XIII star Tyrrell Hatton and OKGC's Harold Varner III matched 66s for joint third, while Iron Heads GC's Byeong Hun An and Canadian wild card Richard Lee shared fifth place with 67s.
Returning from a lengthy break, Tabuena was hoping to reset after finishing tied for 42nd at LIV Golf Andalucía in Spain last June. Instead, he struggled to find early rhythm.
Starting on No. 9, Tabuena opened with two pars before dropping a shot on the 11th. He responded immediately with a birdie on the next, but another bogey on the par-5 No. 13 stalled his momentum. Additional bogeys on the 15th and 17th, followed by another on No. 1 after making the turn, left him at four-over and in danger of slipping further down the leaderboard.
The 30-year-old, however, refused to fold.
Displaying the resilience that has defined much of his career, Tabuena birdied three of his final seven holes to trim the damage and salvage a one-over card. Though he remained well off the pace, the strong finish injected optimism heading into the second round, where he will look to build on the positives from his closing stretch.
With three rounds still to play, Tabuena remained well-positioned to make a significant climb if he can produce the consistent ball-striking and sharp putting that fueled his late charge.
Up front, Herbert will attempt to protect his sizable advantage against a star-studded field led by DeChambeau, Hatton and several other contenders expected to mount an aggressive challenge as the four-day championship gathers momentum.
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