Tabuena defies odds, veterans, fires 62 for lead

BAGUIO , Philippines   â€“ Young Miguel Tabuena kept his cool and kept his bid for a  back-to-back title romp going, churning out another bogey-free round – a 62 to tie Rufino Bayron in the lead midway through the P2.5 million ICTSI Camp John Hay Championship at the John Hay Golf Club here yesterday.

While the short, up-and-down layout started to bite back after yielding 30 under-par scores in the first round, the 18-year-old Tabuena continued to defy the odds – and the veteran campaigners – as he rattled off six birdies, including four at the back in impressive fashion for that 62 when heavy rain fell and the round was suspended due to lightning with seven flights still out to complete play.

“Do I play like a pro now?” Tabuena asked in jest after emerging the lone player in the 78-player starting field to finish 36 holes without a bogey.

“I just stuck to my game plan – be patient,” said Tabuena, disclosing that he easily gets piqued even with little mistakes in a typical teenage manner.

But with a well laid-out strategy on this short but tricky course, there had been no signs of impatience for this rising star raring to prove again that he’s better than the best in the fold.

“It’s a matter of hitting the greens right since they are slow and hard,” added Tabuena, who fired a bogey-less 61 Wednesday and now within 36 holes away from scoring rare back-to-back victories on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour and banking another P450,000 purse after essaying an eight-shot romp at ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic.

He pooled a 13-under 123, the same output put in by title-hungry Rufino Bayron, the first round solo leader who needed a spectacular 4-iron second shot from 250 yards that rolled to within a foot for eagle on the par-5 17th to shoot a 63 and stay in the lead in the 72-hole championship sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Checking a shaky backside start with a birdie on the 13th, Bayron fought back from one down with that six-foot eagle, regaining the lead at 13-under 123 and the momentum stalled by bogeys on Nos. 10 and 12 and a flubbed birdie putt from four feet on No. 11.

“I really went for the green on No. 17 nearly made an albatross,” said Bayron, chasing his first pro title although he had won one when he was still an amateur five years ago.

“Magandang laban ito,” added Bayron, hoping to take the best out of the young Tabuena in the featured flight today.

Michael Bibat, also out to snap a four-year title drought in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., also eagled the 17th from 40 feet to turn in the day’s best score of seven-under 61, putting him in the final threesome at 124.