Twenty-one-year old Miguel Tabuena of The Philippines made sure his country’s Open title stayed at home Saturday, firing a 6-under 66 to win the Philippine Open presented by ICTSI in Tarlac.
It’s Tabuena’s first title and it earned him US$300,000, firing a 14-under 202 on the 54-hole, rain-shortened course.
He’s the first Filipino to win the title since 2008, and did it by being red-hot down the stretch, nailing six birdies in his last nine holes.
Australia’s Scott Barr finished second with a 13-under 203. Barr birdied 18, but a bogey on 17 cost him any reasonable shot at forcing a playoff.
Canada’s Lindsay Reynolds, who led after each of the first two rounds, bombed out with a 73 on Saturday to wind up tied for 10th. Reynolds struggled to three bogeys in his first six holes, then fought back 1-under with a birdie on No. 12.
Any thought of a late charge was undone by a double-bogey 6 on No. 15.
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