MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena mounted a remarkable comeback from nine strokes down, narrowing the gap to just two shots before a late misstep on the final hole curtailed his spirited charge in the Indonesia Open on Saturday.
Despite the setback, Tabuena's six-under 65 at the Damai Indah Golf Course was enough to thrust him back into contention, amassing an 11-under 202 total, just three shots shy of leader Aaron Wilkin.
The Australian, who shattered the 30-year course record with a 61 on Thursday, rebounded from a lackluster second-round 71 with a solid 67, reclaiming the lead with a 199 total.
His round of 33-34 included six birdies against two bogeys, giving him a shaky one-shot advantage heading into the final round of the $500,000 Asian Tour event.
However, the battle for the title remains intense, with four players trailing closely at 200, including halfway leader Sampson Zheng, who struggled to a 72 following his 63, alongside Ervin Chang and former Philippine Open champion Steve Lewton, who both carded 66s, and Ho Yu-Cheng, who matched Tabuena’s 65.
Liu Yanwei sits alone in sixth at 201 after a 67, while Travis Smyth equaled Tabuena’s 202 with the day’s best score, a sizzling 64.Backed by ICTSI, Tabuena is eyeing a follow-up to his last Asian Tour victory in India last year.
He has dominated the front nine of the par-71 layout, playing it 12-under across three days.In Saturday's pivotal round, he tallied four birdies on the front side and added three more on the back, including back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17.However, a wayward drive on the par-4 18th led to a missed green and a two-putt bogey, marring an otherwise flawless round.
Despite the late stumble, Tabuena remains optimistic about his chances, anticipating a thrilling final round showdown filled with power, strategy and nerves as multiple contenders vie for the coveted championship.
In contrast, fellow Filipino Justin Quiban continued to struggle, carding a 77 and slipping to last place at 72nd with a 218 total.