LAUREL, Batangas. – Although still far from peak form, Miguel Tabuena still flourished and got to the top with a scorching finish, birdying the last three holes to shoot a six-under 66 and get past Clyde Mondilla at the start of the ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship here Tuesday.
Mondilla, in an earlier flight, took command majority of the way with a seven-under card after 14 holes before settling for a 67 on a couple of late mishaps at Splendido Taal Golf Club as the field played preferred lies due to wet course following days of rain.
Tabuena, who beat Mondilla on the second playoff hole to claim the ICTSI Luisita crown last March, also made a run of four birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 7 but reeled back with a wet bogey on the 13th before closing out with a blistering run of birdies for a nines of 34-32 that put him on a very familiar place.
“I didn’t really hit my best. I got to a very slow start and didn’t birdie the early holes. But I got it going on No. 8 and was able to make some ground (after the bogey) by birdying the last three holes,” said the two-time Philippine Open champion Tabuena, also a two-time winner here at Splendido.
Mondilla, who marked his runner-up finishes at Luisita and Caliraya with final round rallies, set his title drive in motion in the P2 million event with a fiery start but lost his momentum at the finish, bogeying Nos. 15 and 18 for a 33-34.
“I had a solid frontside, hit all the fairways and even missed three birdie chances inside five feet. But I lost my feel and momentum in the last four holes” rued the 2019 Philippine
Open champion at The Country Club, who overshot the par-4 15th and failed to return a long par-putt then came up short of the closing hole, another par-4, and missed a six-footer for par.
A slew of fancied bets kept the duo within sight, including Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who bucked an opening-hole bogey with five birdies in the next 14 on his way to a 68.
“The greens were a little bit faster than we were in practice. So, it took a little time to get used to that. But after that, I hit the ball really well and didn’t get into too much trouble,” said van der Valk, who edged Mondilla by one to snatch the Country Club Invitational crown in 2020.
Tabuena expects to do have complete control of his game in the second round in an attempt to build a big cushion heading to the last 36 holes of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
“Nothing will change, same game plan,” he said. “Let’s see what happens.”
Tony Lascuña also wants to make things happen after putting himself in early contention in the 72-hole championship put up by ICTSI with five birdies against two bogeys for a 69 and a share of fourth with Art Arbole and Dino Villanueva while Eric Gallardo fired a solid 70 to join Joenard Rates, Reymon Jaraula and top amateur Ryan Monsalve at seventh.
