STA. ROSA, Laguna — Filipino golf ace Miguel Tabuena sustained his fiery form with another brilliant 7-under-par 65 on Saturday to seize a share of the lead heading into the final round of the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus at Sta. Elena Golf Club.
Coming off an inspired second-round 65 highlighted by a hole-in-one and an eagle, Tabuena turned in another flawless performance in the third round — this time carding a bogey-free game featuring two eagles on Nos. 3 and 16.
The back-to-back 65s lifted the two-time Asian Tour champion into a three-way tie for the lead at 199 with Thailand’s Suwannarut Sarit and China’s Sampson Zheng in the $2 million tournament.
Sarit, the two-day leader, settled for a one-under 69 — his highest round so far — while Zheng stormed into contention with a course-record 62, underscoring his rising-star status on the Asian Tour.
The 24-year-old Zheng, who turned pro midway through 2024, followed up his runner-up finish at the Indonesian Open with a stunning performance marked by an eagle on No. 8 and eight birdies, including four straight from No. 14.
Japan’s Asahi Josuke stood just one stroke behind at 200 (69-66-65), while South Africa’s Dean Burmester and Japan’s Kazuki Higa stayed within striking distance at 202 after identical 14-under totals.
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