Quiban right in the International Series mix with eagle-spiked 70

MANILA, Philippines — Fueled by a spectacular pitch-in eagle on No. 6, Justin Quiban carded a two-under-par 70 to put himself firmly in contention at the International Series India at the challenging DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Thursday.
Against a star-studded field featuring world-class players, including world No. 12 Bryson DeChambeau, Quiban showed resilience on the par-72 layout, rolling in five birdies to offset an equal number of bogeys.
His last mishap on No. 17 prevented him from joining Aaron Wilkin from Australia at third place, just behind clubhouse leaders Eugenio Chacarra of Spain and Japanese Kazuki Higa.
Chacarra delivered an impressive performance, posting an eagle and a string of seven pars on his way to a 30-38 card for a 68. Higa also posted a four-under round, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 18th, though the Japanese golfer still had three holes left to play at press time.
The duo stood a stroke ahead of Wilkin, who actually had the best chance to snatch the lead with a solid three-under card after 12 holes.
The big-driving DeChambeau also shot an eagle on the long par-8 hole and carded four birdies. However, an equal number of bogeys dropped him into Quiban’s group with two holes remaining.
Quiban’s sharp putting played a crucial role in keeping him in the mix at the $2 million championship, a key stop on the Asian Tour and a pathway to the lucrative LIV Golf League. The Filipino standout needed just 26 putts after hitting 10 fairways and 12 greens, showcasing a well-rounded performance.
Starting strong with a birdie on the first hole, Quiban encountered early setbacks with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4 before bouncing back in style with a brilliant eagle-2 on the sixth.
The three-time Philippine Golf Tour winner, who previously competed in the PGA Tour’s 3M Open in 2021, navigated an up-and-down round, adding four more birdies against four bogeys the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, fellow Filipino Miguel Tabuena struggled, stumbling to an 83 just a week after finishing tied for fifth in the Philippine Open. The rough start puts him in danger of missing the cut heading into the next round.
With top-tier competition and a challenging course layout, Quiban’s solid start puts him in a promising position to contend for the title in the coming rounds.
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