Post Date: March 24, 2015

Miguel Tabuena (Manila Bulletin

Miguel Tabuena is likely to be the man to beat when the ICTSI Manila Masters unfolds today at the Eastridge Golf Club in Binangonan, Rizal.

The 19-year-old rising star made a big advance in his career when he won the Splendido Classic, the opening leg of the Philippine Golf Tour last weekend by holding off some of the biggest local stars to win by one stroke.

Adding to Tabuena’s top status is that he will be returning to the scene of his past glory. It was at Eastridge last year where he snapped a year-long spell and nailed his fourth career win in the ICTSI Tour.

But the pressure to go 2-0 this year and score a repeat at Eastridge, where the total pot of P3.5 million is at stake, could take a toll on Tabuena, who will be facing the same field he beat at Splendido, among them Angelo Que, Elmer Salvador and Antonio Lacuna.

“Miguel has been putting extremely well. Already boasting of a good swing, he has become a solid player,” said Lascuna, last year’s Order of Merit champion.

“I could’ve finished higher than joint fifth had my putting clicked,” Lascuna said.

Still, Lascuna, the winningest player, with five victories on the tour last year, remains confident of his chances for the top P650,000 purse along with the likes of Que, Salvador, brothers Jay and Rufino Bayron, Clyde Mondilla, Ferdie Aunzo and Jhonnel Ababa and Japanese Toru Nakajima, a former PGT leg winner who finished joint seventh last week.

Que, for one, is itching to get back at Tabuena and end a long title drought on the circuit sponsored by ICTSI and backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers, Footjoy, Srixon, Callaway and Sharp.