Pucay, Tabuena waver at finish in New Delhi

MANILA, Philippines - Mars Pucay and Miguel Tabuena cracked at the finish and wound up with a pair of over-par cards, finishing in joint 23rd and 31st with 73 and 76, respectively, in the $300,000 SAIL Open in New Delhi, India won by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat yesterday.

Pucay, who started tied with Tabuena and six others in joint 15th in the third round, blew an eagle-aided 34 at the front with three bogeys in the last six holes, hobbling with a 73 and a four-day haul of 285.

Tabuena, eyeing a top 15 finish in his pro debut, had a one-under card at the turn but like Pucay, he fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 15 before dropping three strokes on the par-3 17th for a 41 and a 76 for a share of 31st.

It was a sorry finish for the 16-year-old Tabuena, who showed a lot of promise when he started with a 69 Tuesday. Although he slowed down a bit with a 72 in the second round, Tabuena bounced back with a 71 Thursday and appeared headed for a remarkable debut when he birdied the opening hole in the final round.

But he settled for a slew of pars in the next nine holes and was never able to hit another birdie, tumbling down instead with a pair of bogeys and a triple bogey that marred an otherwise impressive start as a pro.

Aphibarnrat birdied the final hole to fire a 68 and a 272 and edge Siddikur Rahman by one to win the crown. The Pakistani carded a 71 and ended up with a 273 while Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu placed third with a 274 after a 70.