Tabuena cruises to 9-shot victory, claims OOM title

TARLAC, Philippines – Miguel Tabuena wrapped up another championship – and a first-ever Order of Merit title – as he scored an expected romp in the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open yesterday, capping his domination with another eagle-spiked, bogey-less 67 for a whopping nine-shot victory over Jhonnel Ababa at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here.

After a dramatic come-from-behind win at ICTSI Open last week, Tabuena put an anti-climactic ending to what had started to be a tight title chase in the P2.5 million championship, no thanks to a solid 64 Friday that put him unassailably ahead of the elite field by eight.

He actually didn’t slow down despite bringing a huge margin into the final round as the 21-year-old shotmaker birdied No. 5 and pitched in for an eagle from just outside the green on the next par-5 hole at No. 9. He flubbed a birdie putt on No. 12 but birdied Nos. 15 and 16 for a 33-34 card.

He finished with an impressive 22-under 266, beat Ababa by nine and took the top P450,000 purse, hiking his earnings P3,051,917.

With OOM rival Tony Lascuña finishing at dismal 12th at 287 worth P48,000 for a total P2,382,960, Tabuena has built enough cushion to secure the coveted individual crown with one leg left – the Tournament Players Championship – at Sherwood next week.

Tabuena has begged off to play at Sherwood to compete in an Asian Tour leg in Japan next week but with a P668,957 lead in the money race, the four-leg winner will still claim the OOM plum even if Lascuña prevails and wins the P650,000 top purse in the P3.5 million Sherwood meet.

“It’s a nice feeling to win again but I plan to concentrate more on the Asian Tour where I hope to play with this level of confidence against the best in the region,” said Tabuena, who also thanked his parents and Team Tabuena for support and inspiration.

Ababa actually put up a semblance of a fight at the back with a birdie-par-eagle start but the former amateur hotshot ran out of holes and finished with a 68 for a 275 worth P320,000 while American teener shot a third straight 69 to snare third place at 278 and P180,000.

Dutch Guido Van der Valk bogeyed No. 17 and dropped to fourth at 279 after a 71 worth P140,000 while Summit champion Jay Bayron fired a 69 to tie first-round co-leader Zanieboy Gialon, matching par 72, at fifth at 281. Each received P157,500.

Japanese Yuto Katsuragawa carded a 70 to finish seventh at 286 and cop another amateur honors while Keanu Jahns matched par 72 to place eighth at 285. Mhark Fernando made a 69 to snatch ninth place at 285 and Jun Rates hobbled with a 75 to drop to joint 10th with Elmer Salvador, who carded a 72, at 286.

It was a big two-week showing by Tabuena, who shocked Lascuña with a sizzling final round charge at the tough Wack Wack last week when he rallied from four strokes down with 18 holes left and win the ICTSI Open by four. He shared the first round lead at CAT, surged ahead by one halfway through then pulled away with that brilliant flawless 64 Friday.

In contrast, Lascuña made back-to-back forgettable performances and missed his bid to stretch a record fourth straight OOM title in the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.