Tabuena, other Filipino golfers falter in International Series Morocco opener

MANILA, Philippines — Miguel Tabuena endured a rollercoaster return to the International Series stage on Thursday (Friday Manila time), draining four birdies but off-setting them with four bogeys to turn in an even-par 73 in the opening round of the International Series Morocco.

Tabuena found the long, demanding Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam a brutal test early on. He negated two birdies with four bogeys over his first nine holes, causing him to tumble down the standings. True to form, however, the inaugural International Series Philippines champion unleashed a trademark back-nine fightback, birdying Nos. 12 and 16 to salvage a 38-35 round.

Despite the late surge, Tabuena fell into a tie for 60th place, leaving him precariously close to missing the weekend cut in the $2-million championship. The Filipino ace grappled with his driver all day, hitting just eight fairways and missing five greens, while requiring 31 putts to navigate the tricky surfaces.

Compatriots Justin Quiban and Carl Corpus matched Tabuena’s even-par 73 start.

Quiban bounced back from early miscues on the second and third holes with a string of birdies on Nos. 5, 7, 8 and 12, sandwiching another bogey on the sixth. However, a late bogey on the 15th cost him a spot inside the top 50.

Corpus, who won on the Asian Development Tour in Morocco last year, was on track for an under-par finish before a costly bogey on No. 16 forced him to settle for a 37-36 card.

Meanwhile, Lloyd Go flashed resilience after a disastrous start on the back nine, where he went bogey-double bogey-bogey. The rising Cebuano star rallied with four birdies against just one more bogey to rescue a 74.

Tied for 82nd, Go will likely need a low-60s round on Friday to secure a spot for the weekend.

While the Filipino contingent found the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam layout unforgiving, Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert made it look easy. He sizzled with a brilliant, bogey-free eight-under 65 to seize a two-stroke lead over Australia's Travis Smyth and South Korea's Younghan Song, who matched 67s.

Among the tournament's heavy hitters, American star Bubba Watson opened with a 4-under 69 to sit in a tie for ninth, just four strokes off the lead.

But Spain's Sergio Garcia had a tougher day at the office, matching Go’s 74 after mixing three birdies with four bogeys, capped off by a frustrating dropped shot on the final hole.