[L-R] Mr. Cho Minn Thant – Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour | Mr. Rahul Singh – Head of the International Series | Sean Ramos, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Miguel Tabuena | Mr. Tommy Hu – CEO, DigiPlus | Mr. Alejandro Tengco – Chairman, PAGCOR during the ceremonial tee off for the International Philippines presented by BingoPlus
Setting the Pace on the Fairways
The Philippine golf scene came alive as the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus happened at the Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club in Laguna from October 23 – 26. BingoPlus, the country’s leading entertainment platform, brought in a world-class golf tournament to the Philippines in support of national sports development.
Professional golfers Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, along with local pro-golfers Miguel Tabuena, Sean Ramos and Angelo Que were included in the line up of pros, facing each other for the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus. The 4-day tournament was part of the Asian Tour and the main pathway to LIV Golf.
Day 1: Thailand’s Suwannarut leads in the first round
As the game commenced as early as 6 AM, the sun shined on the field as golfers got their clubs and tees ready to start the first round of the International Series Philippines
Two time International Series winner Sarit Suwannarut swung through an impressive eight-under-par 64 to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the International Series Philippines at Sta. Elena Golf Club, with a prize purse of 2 Million US Dollars up for grabs.
Sarit Suwannarut and Sampson Zheng in the lead of the tournament
At the end of the round, Sarit offset an early bogey with nine birdies, edging Japan’s Kazuki Higa, who carded a bogey-free 65. England’s Richard Bland, Americans Charles Porter and George Kneiser, and Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat shared third at 66. Making his Philippine debut, 6 time champion Dustin Johnson thrilled fans with a score of 67, showing his veteran experience in the game as he came up on the leaderboard.
Day 2: Tabuena rises on the leaderboard, while Suwannarut stays ahead
Heading into round 2 of the tournament, Miguel Tabuena ignited the local crowd with a hole-in-one and an eagle, keeping him firmly in contention at the halfway stage of the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus.
Miguel Tabuena and caddie Lan, swinging above the odds
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut remains in command at 14-under, four shots ahead of Tabuena and Japan’s Kazuki Higa. Veteran Filipino golfer, Angelo Que is part of a five-man pack one stroke further back after a strong score of 65.
Tabuena’s seven-under 65 featured a stunning ace on the 14th and an eagle on the 16th. During the post game interview, the 3-time Asian tour winner said, “It’s not every day you make a hole-in-one, it was nice to do it here at home in front of family and friends.”
Filipino golfer Justin Quiban also impressed, firing a 68 with four closing birdies to sit 19th at six-under, while Que, steady and patient, carded 65 to reach nine-under.
Meanwhile, Suwannarut continued his hot streak despite a rough start, saying, “I’ve just tried to stay calm and focus on what I have to do. So far, it’s working.”
With Tabuena, Que, and Quiban all making the weekend cut, Filipino fans had an exciting home charge as the tournament headed into the final two rounds at Sta. Elena Golf Club.
Day 3: Tabuena and Zheng catch Suwannarut coming into the Final Round of the tournament
Local fan favorite Miguel Tabuena produced a brilliant bogey-free 65 to join Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut and China’s Sampson Zheng at the top of the leaderboard at round 3 of the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus.
Tabuena chases Suwannarut before the final round
Suwannarut, who began the day four shots clear, scored a 69 to stay in the fight, while Zheng stormed up the leaderboard with a stunning 10-under 62. The trio led by one over Japan’s Yosuke Asaji’s score of 65.
Tabuena thrilled the home crowd with two eagles on holes 3 and 16, following up his hole-in-one from Friday, “I was in a real flow state not thinking about my score, just executing my plan,” said the Filipino star. “It’s special doing this at home. Hopefully, I can finish it tomorrow.”
Suwannarut on the other hand admitted it was a “tougher day,” saying, “I didn’t drive it as well and the pins were tighter. I’ll just focus on what I need to shoot to win.”
Zheng credited a hot putter for his charge. “I hit a lot of greens and made key putts. The eagle on hole eight really got me going,” said the rising star.
4 Aces Golf Club teammates Dustin Johnson moved up to 26th at eight-under after a 68, while Patrick Reed slipped to 19th following a 71.
Tabuena honors late friend with a special Blue Ribbon worn by all players.
Throughout the tournament, players wore a special blue ribbon on their headwear to honor and pay tribute to Paolo “Paowee” Tantoco, the son of Rico and Nena Tantoco, founders and original creators of the Sta. Elena Golf and Country Estate.
LIV Golf star Dustin Johnson in full support wearing the special blue ribbon
Tabuena commemorated his late friend saying, “I am grateful that most of the players agreed to wear the band today, it’s something I have wanted to do even before this event to honor Paowee in some way. I definitely felt like he was with me out there today.”
More than just a game, one of the goals for the tournament was to support the grassroots program in the sports development scene, with the commitment signed with the Philippine Sports Commission to help nurture future local athletes in the sport to excel and grow their game as they represent the flag on the international stage.
Day 4: Tabuena wins his first International Series trophy on home soil
The field was greeted with morning showers as the final round of the tournament took place on a Sunday morning. The top three on the leaderboard Sarit Suwannarut, Miguel Tabuena, and Sampson Zheng going through the 18 hole course for the final time with the prestigious International Series trophy up for grabs.
Tabuena despite the challenges on the final round of the tournament was able to use his experience in the game when he gained back the lead on hole 8 when he hit the ball on the slope through the fairway to score an eagle.
The winner: Miguel Tabuena, with his family
The top 3 on the leaderboard of the final round were Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena, Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Yosuke Asaji. Marc Leishman, on the other hand, was the leading star from LIV Golf who finished at 6th place, with Charl Schwartzel at 12th, Dustin Johnson at 15th and Peter Uihlein, Patrick Reed and Dean Burmester at 20th.
Tabuena maintained his lead until the last round, securing a score of 69, 65, 65, and 65 with five eagles and a hole-in-one to get the win in the first International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus.
This win puts him in 2nd place on the International Series rankings and 3rd place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. For the Philippines and the sports development scene, it was a moment of hope that local heroes can shine on the world stage.
During the Final Press Conference, Tabuena commented on the partnership between BingoPlus and the International Series, “this wouldn’t have been possible without BingoPlus and it was nice to be able to win in their first year.” He also mentioned, “it became more accessible and fun, for all of the local players here in the Philippines, and I am truly blessed to be a part of it.”
Hometown hero wins the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus
See you next year!
The International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus crowned their newest winner, Miguel Tabuena, inspiring future local athletes in the sport to Swing for their Filipino Sports Dream. There are three stops left in the tournament, the golfers are now headed on to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia for the last stop.
During the awarding ceremony, Mr. Rafael Jasper Vicencio, president of BingoPlus announced, “with the success of The International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus and our very own Filipino pride, Miguel Tabuena, claiming the historic win, we are thrilled to announce that we will continue our partnership with the International Series Philippines in 2026!”
The International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus will return in 2026! Bringing the fun and entertainment of the sport, once again! See you then!
DigiPlus Interactive Corp. pioneered digital entertainment in the Philippines. It introduced leading platforms BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, widely known for their engaging experiences in interactive gaming and sports entertainment. For more information, visit: www.digiplus.com.ph.
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