Tabuena tames TCC with record 64

Despite a mishap on the opening hole, Tabuena bounced back with birdies on the next two, followed by a three-birdie binge from No. 6. He sustained his assault on the 7,735-yard course with awesome ball-striking and superb iron play and putting, birdying four of the first seven holes at the back.

“I didn’t expect to play like this but sometimes, with no expectations, you play better,” said the 2017 champion, who birdied all four par-5s, underlining his exceptional start on the course where he triumphed last November with an imposing 4&3 victory over Tony Lascuña in the final of the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational.

Tabuena’s 64 shattered the 67 posted by Micah Shin in the third round en route to winning this event in 2018.

Kim rallied with three birdies in the last five holes to buck a bogey on No. 13 and post a 70, joining Lascuña and Sean Ramos at second while longshot Rico Depilo holed out with a bogey to slip to solo fifth at 71.

Lascuña, the 2004 winner of this flagship tournament of the PGT, put in a four-birdie, two-bogey card for a 70 while Ramos fought his way back from a two-over card with four birdies in a seven-hole stretch from No. 8.

While Tabuena thrived, the majority of the field struggled, including reigning OOM winner Jhonnel Ababa, who also bogeyed the closing hole to end up with a 72, dropping to joint sixth with Guido van der Valk and Clyde Mondilla.

Van der Valk’s quest for a record three-straight championship in the P6 million event put up by ICTSI chairman/CEO Ricky Razon in 2003, suffered a setback after the 2020 and 2023 titlist squandered a two-under card after 10 holes with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 16.

The multi-titled Mondilla had birdies on Nos. 3 and 8 but missed a couple of birdie chances and settled for pars the rest of the way.

Angelo Que matched Tabuena’s bogey on No. 1 in a marquee match-up with Shin but the three-time champion could only hit one birdie while dropping another stroke on the ninth to finish with a 73 with Ferdie Aunzo, Reymon Jaraula, Rupert Zaragosa and last year’s runner-up Lloyd Go.