Tabuena starts strong but slows down to trail by 4 after 67

MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena returned to form with a solid three-under 67 in the first round of the International Series Thailand on Thursday, staying within striking distance of the leaders despite shaky putting.

The Filipino ace, supported by ICTSI, shook off an early withdrawal from the Black Mountain Championship last week due to injury, starting his round with back-to-back birdies. However, inconsistency on the greens led him to settle for a tie at 34th, four strokes behind the leading trio.

Tabuena's round was marked by steady driving and sharp iron play — hitting 10 fairways and 15 greens — but missed birdie opportunities caused by 30 putts on the day.

He had a promising front nine of 32 but slowed down with a closing 35 on the back. Despite this, he remained in the hunt as the $2-million tournament progresses.

Justin Quiban, another Filipino standout, carded a one-under 68. His flawless back nine of four-under 32 helped recover from three bogeys on the front.

However, his score placed him on the edge of the projected cutline, meaning he'll need a stronger second round to secure a weekend slot, especially after missing the cut last week.

Meanwhile, Charlie Lindh, Jed Morgan and Maverick Antcliff shot 63s to take the lead by one stroke over Peter Uihlein and five others, while 12 more fired 65s, including Thai players Sadom Kaewkanjana and Suteepat Prateeptienchai.

With 98 players breaking par and another 17 at even, the field is packed for a highly competitive second round.