Quiban back in hunt, sizzles with eagle-spiked 65

MANILA, Philippines — Justin Quiban flipped the switch into attack mode again on Saturday, delivering a stunning eagle-aided 65 that thrust him back into contention halfway through the Taifong Open in Taiwan.

Quiban's impressive rebound followed a scrambling 72 in the second round, which came on the heels of a solid 67 on Thursday.

After bogeying the second hole, Quiban’s hopes of staying in the hunt appeared to slip as he dropped outside the Top 30. But instead of letting the setback derail his round, he seized control with a dominant performance on the long holes, making birdies on Nos. 3 and 5, igniting a five-birdie streak to close out the frontside.

Despite his early surge, Quiban’s putter betrayed him over the next stretch, and he was forced to settle for five straight regulation pars. He scrambled through two more holes before stepping up when it mattered most — eagling the par-5 17th to spark a late charge.

A missed birdie putt on the 18th meant he couldn’t cap his fiery round with another highlight, but his 31-34 card left him joint sixth at 12-under 204, firmly in the hunt for his first Asian Tour victory.

Quiban’s performance showed his resilience and ability to respond to adversity, but the task ahead remains daunting.

Runchanapong Youprayong and Suteepat Prateeptienchai pulled ahead with 18-under 198s total after 66 and 68, respectively, setting up an all-Thai showdown in the $400,000 Asian Tour championship.

Danthai Boonma and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, also from Thailand, shot 65 and 68, respectively, but stood four strokes off Prateeptienchai and Youprayong with 202s in a tie with local ace Hung Chien-Yao, who carded a 70, and erstwhile leader Jack Thompson from Australia, who fumbled with a 73.

Though still behind, Quiban’s performance fuels optimism for a breakthrough after years of searching for consistency on the Asian Tour, a journey that has seen flashes of brilliance but no victory — yet.

In Miyazaki, Juvic Pagunsan made a valiant recovery with a three-under 68 in the third round of the Dunlop Phoenix Open, but his chances of making a serious run at the title were slim, as he remained far behind the leader, American Max McGreevy.

Pagunsan, who fumbled with a 72 in the second round, came out with renewed focus, birdieing three of the first five holes to re-spark his bid. However, a misstep on the eighth hole halted his momentum temporarily.

Undeterred, Pagunsan regained his composure, recovering the dropped stroke with a birdie on No. 14, and finishing strong with a pair of 34s at the par-71 Phoenix Country Club.

Despite his performance, Pagunsan’s position stayed way behind at tied 20th at 206, a daunting 13 shots behind McGreevy, who surged ahead with a 65 for a three-day total of 193.

The American’s commanding lead was bolstered by his flawless play, as he distanced himself from the pack.

Local hero Ryutaro Nagano was McGreevy’s closest challenger, sitting six strokes back at 199 after a blistering 64, while Japan's star, Hideki Matsuyama, carded a 68 to hold third place at 200.

Meanwhile, Justin delos Santos continued his steady performance, matching par with a 71 for the second consecutive day, leaving him tied for 47th at 211.