Tabuena on course for historic win

MANILA, Philippines - Miguel Tabuena birdied four of his first six holes yesterday and put himself in a very strong position to become the youngest Filipino ever to win the Philippine Open golf crown.

Tabuena is only 17 but with the way he’s playing he looks like a pro of 17 years.

The silver medalist in the 2010 Asian Games shot a five-under-par 67 (210) at the difficult Wack Wack east course when Frankie Miñoza can’t do no better than an 81 on the windy day.

Tabuena’s third-round score now stands as the course record at Wack Wack east, which underwent a major facelift a couple of years ago. After that facelift, it has turned into a beast.

Old-timers said before the course was remodeled, it was Golem Silverio, winner of the 1966 Philippine Open, who held the course record of eight-under-par 64.

Tabuena is now the youngest player in the Asian Tour. But if he wins this one, he will only be the third youngest to win a championship in the Asian Tour after a Korean and a Thai.  

“I can’t wait for tomorrow. I’ve got nothing to lose. It’s only my second year on the Tour. But it will mean everything if I can win. I’ve been dreaming about winning this tournament,” he said.

Now standing in Tabuena’s way is a player old enough to be his father, 44-year-old Singaporean Mamat Mardan, who’s just one up on the Pinoy teenager heading to today’s final round.

A two-time winner in the Asian Tour, Mamat leaned on his putter all day to score a two-under 70 for a 54-hole total of 209. He started the day three shots ahead of Tabuena, Tony Lascuna and Ben Fox.

Mamat and Tabuena led the last two flights for the day, and must be feeling each other out, especially when the Pinoy teenage briefly took the lead on the sixth, his fourth birdie for the day.

Mamat birdied the fifth but bogeyed the sixth, a 448-yard par-4. But he put things back in order with a birdie on the seventh and a par on the eighth. Tabuena bogeyed the eighth.

If not for his steady putting, Mamat could’ve found himself trailing a very young player into the last round. He kissed his putter after saving par on the 16th.

“I saved a lot of putts. I’m happy. But you don’t know what happens tomorrow. As I said, this course can make you happy and can make you angry,” he said.

Mamat led from start to finish to win the 2006 Singapore Masters but had to come from behind to win the Indian Open two years earlier.

He should be happy he’s ahead going into the final 18 holes at Wack Wack. But there’s no such thing as a sure thing, especally with a young player going for a place in history.

Joong-kyung Mo of Korea was in solo third at 211 after a 68. Next on the leaderboard at 216 were Korea’s Inn-choon Hwang (67) and Fox (74).

Japan’s Azuma Yano (73) and Australia’s Paul Donahoo (74) stood eight strokes off the lead at 217, followed by a big group at 218, led by champion Berry Henson (72), Mars Pucay (74) and Lascuna (76).

Mamat and Tabuena both bogeyed the 17th. It would have given the Filipino a chance to cut the deficit to one but he three-putted from just the edge of the green.

Mamat sent his drive to the left-hand rough on the 17th, and had a look of concern before he punched out. He was on in three and two-putted for bogey.

Every step of the way, Tabuena had members of his family following him, and he later said it’s one thing he can count on in his final-round duel with the Singaporean.

“My whole family was here except for my sister who’s on a honeymoon. My aunts and uncles were out. They were like 20 of them today on the course. It was a big help,” said Tabuena.

Mamat has no one to lean on out there – except for his old, trusty putter.