Tabuena, bright home hope, chases PH open hat trick with new man on the bag
CARMONA, Cavite—There was no need for Miguel Tabuena to be convinced to play in the revival of the Smart Infinity Philippine Open next week.
“Why wouldn’t I? It’s my country’s Open,” Tabuena, who is breaking in new caddy Kenneth Quillinan, told the Inquirer before a practice round Thursday at the Masters course of Manila Southwoods where the $500,000 (around P29 million) kickoff event of the new Asian Tour season will be played. “I’d like to join the others (Filipinos) in trying to keep our Open on home soil.”
And now that he will show up, the 30-year-old is also not lacking in motivation to win it all.
“I would love to have my name written on that trophy a third time,” Tabuena, who first won it in 2016 for his maiden Asian Tour win, said as he braces to battle the best in the region starting Thursday. “I think there are at least 30-40 guys capable of winning. A lot of very good players will be coming over.”
Tabuena is one of four Filipino former champs in the 144-strong field counting Gerald Rosales, Clyde Mondilla and Angelo Que, the 46-year-old who is also hoping for the worst elements possible on Open week.
Wanting winds
“The tougher the conditions are, the better our (Filipinos’) chances,” Tabuena said, referring to winds that will turn the greens even faster and make precision shots even more challenging at the Jack Nicklaus-created gem. “If the winds blow, I don’t think we are looking at people going really low.
“There are getable holes, but there are some that are not,” Tabuena added, referring to two regular par-5s that will be played as long par-4s for the week and make the layout a par-70.
“We are used to playing in demanding conditions,” Que had also said. “That would make it harder for some international players.”
Sihwan Kim of the United States and Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand, former winners of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, and Brit Steve Lewton banner an impressive foreign cast shooting for the $90,000 (around P5.28m) winner’s check even as Justin delos Santos, a Japan Tour regular, is scheduled to come home this weekend to reinforce the PH bid.
“I’ve always approached tournaments with the mentality to win,” Delos Santos said in a previous interview. “So, of course, I’ll do the same here. It would be a special tournament to win.”
Delos Santos is scheduled to play his first practice round Sunday as he crams to familiarize himself with all the nuances of the 7,300-yard layout.
