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Barriers broken, history made
MANILA, Philippines — There he was — clutching the gleaming International Series Philippines trophy — eyes glistening, smile trembling, perhaps trying to savor what was at first a dream too distant to touch.
And there he was — standing tall on the podium, framed by a sea of tearful fans and supporters — the very stage that, just four days ago, seemed unreachable, guarded by golfing giants he once only admired from afar.
That dais, where champions of imagination and resolve are crowned, had a new name carved into it: Miguel Tabuena.
“I’m still on a high right now,” said Tabuena after receiving the huge, elegant trophy following a historic and emphatic victory with a third straight eagle-spiked 65 and a 24-under 264 total. “I’ve always dreamed of getting my hands on this trophy, and it’s extra special that my first one comes at home — at my home club. Thank you to everyone who came out to support.”
Tabuena didn’t just dream of winning. He worked relentlessly for it — through heartbreak, setbacks, and endless hours on the range under the searing sun. When the moment finally came within reach, he seized it with both hands and an unflinching heart.
In front of his countrymen, Tabuena made history by winning the first-ever International Series held on Philippine soil. He did it not just by playing near-flawless golf in all four days, but by defying every odd, every doubt, and every ounce of pressure that came with carrying the hopes of a golf-hungry nation.
Seizing the moment
Tied with Chinese Sampson Zheng and Thailand’s Suwannarut after 54 holes, Tabuena faced the final round with the steely calm of a man ready to seize his moment. Where others wavered, he surged — piecing together a flawless back-nine run on a course that had a reputation for exposing the nerves of mere contenders.
Zheng and Suwannarut fought valiantly but could not match the Filipino’s composure. Tabuena methodically dismantled their challenge, hole by hole, shot by shot, as if asserting that this Sunday stage belonged to him alone.
Yet, even after shaking off his closest rivals, his job was far from over. Three formidable names — Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Yosuke Asaji, and Australia’s Marc Leishman — lurked in groups ahead, trying to mount a late charge. But as the final holes dwindled, so did their hopes. One by one, they ran out of both chances and heroics, leaving the path clear for the man in command.
And then, as if nature itself conspired to honor the crowning of a champion, the skies held their rain. The looming storm paused, waiting for the final act.
Tabuena strode to the 18th tee, the title effectively his, armed with a three-shot cushion over Asaji. But even with victory assured, he couldn’t resist adding a touch of drama. His drive veered left — overcooked and off the fairway, perhaps for the first time all day.
The crowd gasped. With no view of the green, he coolly pitched out to safety. The gallery erupted, their cheers echoing under the heavy, waiting clouds.
Moments later, Zheng and Suwannarut both stuffed their approaches close — birdie range. The tension thickened. Then, Tabuena stepped up for his third. He struck, and the ball landed softly, rolling to a stop barely three feet from the cup.
The thunderous roar that followed seemed to shake the course.
Zheng faltered, missing his putt and settling for a 69. Suwannarut holed his for birdie, also salvaging a fine three-under card.
But the stage now belonged entirely to Tabuena. With the pressure gone and his destiny within reach, he steadied his putter and rolled in the par putt — sealing a breathtaking seven-under card and a commanding three-stroke victory over Higa (65) and Asaji (67), who matched 267s.
Overcome by the moment
As the final cheers cascaded over him, Tabuena walked a few steps, then sank to his knees, head buried in his arms — a man overcome. Moments later, he rose, tears glistening in his eyes, and embraced his family one by one — his mother Lorna, his father Luigi, his wife Sandra, and his young daughter Paloma.
Friends and fellow golfers soon joined in, showering him with water in joyful celebration. Drenched but radiant, the Filipino champion made his way to the scorer’s tent, where the official confirmation of his triumph awaited — along with the brief but emotional trophy presentation that marked not just a win, but the arrival of an emerging giant in Asian golf.
Suwannarut and Zheng eventually shared fourth place at 268, while Leishman’s closing 65 earned him solo sixth at 269.
Meanwhile, Justin Quiban turned in a steady 70 to finish tied for 20th at 277, as Angelo Que carded a strong 68 for a share of 30th at 278.
But when the dust settled and the cheers refused to fade, Sunday — and the spotlight — belonged to Tabuena.
It was his day, his stage, his story — a triumphant chapter written under the home skies.
Standing ground vs world's elite
From the opening round, the 31-year-old Filipino faced a mountain. Across the tee box stood former World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen — names etched in the game’s elite. Tabuena held his ground, posting 69 against Johnson’s opening round of 67, before flipping the script with a 65 in the second round he spiked with an ace and an eagle.
His second straight-seven-under card on Moving Day put him within striking distance of glory — and within one perfect Sunday away from a life-changing moment.
By championship Sunday, the gallery swelled — families, junior golfers, longtime fans, and casual spectators who had suddenly become believers. They followed his every step across the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed fairways of Sta. Elena Golf Club, erupting in cheers every time Tabuena lined up a putt or split another fairway.
Bracing for a shootout with Zheng and Suwannarut, Tabuena struck early. Birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 electrified the crowd, his fist pump mirrored by thousands around the course. When Zheng responded with his own birdie on the fourth, the tension thickened — but Tabuena never flinched. His calm, measured stride, and steady rhythm told a different story: a man in command of his destiny.
Leveraging his intimate knowledge of the local layout, Tabuena attacked every par-5 with surgical precision, converting birdies where others settled for pars. But it was his spectacular eagle on the eighth hole that truly ignited his surge.
Tied with Zheng heading into the par-5 hole, Tabuena executed a delicate chip shot — just firm enough to catch the top of the slope on the left, then gently, almost teasingly, the ball rolled and dropped into the cup. His trademark fist pump erupted as he strode to the back nine with a one-shot cushion.
The lead felt fragile, heavy with the weight of the moment and the caliber of his rivals. But Tabuena knew the backside like the back of his hand. He had dominated it earlier in the tournament: a solid 33 in round one, followed by a 30 and a steady 32 on Saturday.
Around him, the crowd cheered and waved Philippine flags with pride. Veterans of the sport looked on, knowing they were witnessing something greater than a victory — it was a rebirth of Philippine golf’s spirit.
When he birdied the 11th, matching Zheng’s birdie on the 10th, it became clear to all watching that the Filipino was poised to strike again.
And strike he did — not once, not twice, but three times — each birdie more clutch than the last. A smooth five-footer on the 13th, a confident eight-foot putt on the 15th, and finally, a pressure-packed, nerve-shredding 16-foot putt on the 16th for another 32 that would prove to be the clincher.
And just like that, it was done.
A homegrown hero, crowned on home soil.
A golfing win for Philippines
While Tabuena’s two Philippine Open titles shine in his trophy cabinet, this one will occupy a place of its own — perhaps on a stand all its own — not just because of the prestige or the $360,000 (P21 million) prize, but because of what it symbolizes.
This was not merely a win for a player. It was a win for a country that has long yearned for a new chapter in golf. A message to every young Filipino swinging a club on the range — that it can be done, that one of their own has risen to the top against the best in the world.
Tabuena didn’t just win an international title.
He lit the torch for a new generation – and reminded the world that Filipino golf belongs on the global stage.
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Credit belongs to : www.philstar.com
