Tabuena pockets P7.3M, rules DGC Open with solid 65

MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena waged a scorching final round charge to overhaul a six-stroke deficit then bucked a last-putt meltdown to capture the DGC Open crown of the Asian Tour worth a whopping P7.3 million at the Delhi Golf Club Sunday.

The Filipino ace churned out his Sunday’s best to close out with a bogey-free 65, highlighting his course-record equaling round with a massive 50-foot putt on No. 12 and a tap-in off a solid approach shot on the 16th coming off a 20-minute weather delay as he foiled local bet Rashid Khan by one on a 12-under 276 total.

As Tabuena steeled himself in the bone-crunching stage in second-to-last flight, Khan cracked under pressure, missing putts he would normally make, including a costly three-putt miscue on No. 15 and one that led to another bogey on the 17th.

One-stroke up as he stepped onto the par-5 18th mound, the ICTSI-backed Tabuena opted for a couple of long irons to avoid any risks on the closing hole he had parred in the first three days, then came through with another superb approach to within four feet.

But he missed as the ball swerved to the right, disappointing him no end.

It, however, didn’t last as Khan failed to produce shots that would merit at least a playoff, missing an eagle putt on the last hole.

Khan wound up with a 72 for a 277 while Thai Chapchai Nirat took third place at 278 after a 68.

It was Tabuena’s third Asian Tour victory, scoring a breakthrough on the region’s premier circuit in the 2015 Philippine Open at Luisita then notching his second in the Queen’s Cup in Thailand in 2018.

Throughout that stretch up to his latest feat, Tabuena honed and sharpened his skills by competing in various tournaments abroad but would always play on the Philippine Golf Tour whenever he’s available.

He nailed his first victory in the US in the Idaho Open in 2021.

After reluctantly holing out with a par, Tabuena agonizingly waited at scorer’s table for the last flight to finish then simply flashed a thumbs-up sign when Khan fell short of his eagle bid on the 72nd hole.

He took out his phone and rang his wife Sandra then linked it up with father Luigi, who has guided him since his jungolf days.

Six shots behind at joint sixth with compatriot Justin Quiban and England’s Matt Killen, Tabuena worked his way with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 then gained another stroke on the sixth for a 33. He drained another birdie on the 10th but it was his putt from way out on the 12th that fired up the multi-titled PGT campaigner.

He knocked in another birdie from 12 feet on the 15th then set up that gimme birdie on the 16th to tie Khan at 11-under.

As Khan yielded the lead on No. 15, Tabuena two-putted for par on the par-3 17th then opted for conservative play on the last that produced solid results, only to muff a short birdie putt on the last.

Quiban, meanwhile, carded a second straight 73 and wound up tied at 14th at 284 while Lloyd Go matched par 72 for joint 21st at 286.