HERE COME PH ACES
CABUYAO—They were, on paper, listed as the Filipinos having the best chances in the International Series Philippines.
And in electrifying ways on a steamy second round, Miguel Tabuena and Angelo Que obliged and validated their respective status as they gave this basketball- and volleyball-crazed country the chance to celebrate a win for the ages on Sunday.
Tabuena and Que on Friday crept within earshot of the lead after firing scintillating versions of seven-under-par 65s, with Justin Quiban staying mathematically in the hunt heading into weekend play at a Sta. Elena layout that has taken a beating from the world-class field despite the heat and formidable afternoon winds.
Tabuena had an ace and an eagle, and Que drained eight birdies in dazzling the galleries that followed their respective groups as Tabuena, who now has a 134 aggregate, will open up moving day Saturday just four shots behind Sarit Suwannarut, the Thai who followed up an opening 64 with a 66.
The 46-year-old Que, meanwhile, is another stroke adrift, and the two Filipinos have so far outplayed the four major champions in the field led by Ryder Cup veterans Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed of the United States.
“I just heard the crowd go wild,” the 31-year-old Tabuena said of his ace, which came after an 8-iron on the 177-yard 14th hole. “It’s been probably six years since my last one and only second in competition. So, it was nice that it was here in front of friends, family and (on) my home club.”
But more than that, Tabuena wheeled into solid contention and 36 more holes to get the job done and ignite a jubilation like no other in a country that doesn’t even treat golf as a top three sport, considering that this is the most talented field contesting the biggest prize money in any pro golf event here, ever.
“There’s still a lot of golf (to be played). You know, you can’t get ahead of yourself, you can’t be too complacent,” Tabuena added. “And like I said, there’s two more days to go—(so I will) stick to the game plan, my recovery. It’s getting steamy out there, so take care of the body first.”
Quiban fired a 68 to stay eight shots off, quite a long way’s away but not written off, considering how the well-manicured layout has played the first two rounds.
“I didn’t realize how low I went (for the round) until I birdied the 18th,” said the ever-smiling Que, who has three Asian Tour wins. “There are still two rounds to go, a lot of golf left to be played.”
Tabuena shares second with Japan’s Kazuki Higa, who fired a 69, while Que is with four others in a group with 135 tallies, a shot ahead of Reed, who returned a 66 and appears to be the most dangerous big-named bet going into Saturday.
“I just love playing on foreign soil and being the thorn for them (local bets),” Reed, a former Masters champion like Johnson, said after shooting seven birdies, including three straight from the 12th as he went out in 33.
Johnson labored hard and was left to marvel at Tabuena’s exploits in their second time playing together with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuisen. Also a former winner of the US Open, Johnson was good for a 73 and will be 10 shots off in starting weekend play.
Lost in the brilliance of the Filipino spearheads and the efforts of the major champions in the field is Suwannarut, the well-built 27-year-old who won the Volvo China Open in 2023 for his second Asian Tour win.
