Tabuena six shots adrift in Open elims

MANILA, Philippines - Miguel Tabuena carded an even par 72 and stood six shots off joint leaders Siddikur of Bangladesh and amateur Hideki Matsuyama of Japan at the start of The Open Championship International Final Qualifying at the Amata Spring Country Club in Bangkok yesterday.

Tabuena, the lone Filipino bet in the 78-player field fighting for four slots in the world’s third major at Muirfield in July, was bunched with seven others in 36th although he hopes to rebound in today’s second round of the 72-hole elims.

Siddikur and Matsumaya fired identical 66s to post a one-stroke lead over Chinese Hu Mu, Singapore’s Quincy Quek and Lam Zhiqun and Australian Scott Barr, who all had 67s while eight players, led by former Philippine Open champiosn Berry Henson and Anthony Kang, who shot similar 68s.

The other four-under par scorers were Thai Prayad Marksaeng, Korean Kim Hyung-sung, Chinese Ashun Wu, Indonesian Rory Hie, Taiwanese amateur Pan Cheng-tsung and Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat.