Tabuena gains with 67, Que falters with 71 in Hong Kong Open

MANILA, Philippines – Miguel Tabuena turned in a three-under 67 to improve to joint 29th but Angelo Que faltered with a 71 after a 66 and fell to 51st midway through the Hong Kong Open now paced by Thai Phachara Khongwatmai at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling Friday.

Tabuena leaned on his three backside birdies to gain a seven-spot jump but his 135 aggregate dropped him seven strokes off the fiery Khongwatmai, who blistered the par-70 layout with a 63 to grab the lead at 12-under 128.

But he stood just a stroke ahead of erstwhile joint leader Cameron Smith of Australia, who carded a 66 after a 63, and Korean Sangmoon Bae, who shot a 63 after a 66, for 129s.

American Micah Shin, a former Philippine Golf Tour campaigner and winner of PGT’s flagship tournament, The Country Club Invitational, in 2018, also exploded with a seven-under to join Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana and Kiwi Ben Campbell, who matched 64s, and Harrison Crowe of Australia, who carded a 65, at fourth with 130s.

The ICTSI-backed Tabuena, who used 25 putts to shoot a 69 Thursday, made 29 this time but netted four birdies against a bogey while Que ended up with 31 putts, seven more than what he dished out in the first round that led to a four-under card.

The three-time Asian Tour winner actually made the backside turn at one-under 35 then birdied the first hole to go six-under overall. But he bogeyed the second, dropped another stroke on No. 4 and holed out with another miscue on the ninth for a 71 and a 137.

Lloyd Go had a running one-under card and a three-under overall after 13 holes at presstime.