The US$2 million International Series Philippines finished with a dramatic final round that left fans on the edge of their seats. At Sta. Elena Golf Club in Manila, Sampson Zheng, the 24‑year‑old hot‑putter from China, pulled a win past the home hero Miguel Tabuena and Thailand’s two‑time champion Sarit Suwannarut.
Zheng opened Saturday with a spectacular 62—ten strokes under par—but it was a stunning 65 that kept him in front. Together with Tabuena, who also posted a 65, Zheng closed the day with a one‑shot lead. Both players combined for two eagles and three birdies on the final day, a strong showing that kept the field in the contest.
The trio of Zheng, Tabuena, and Sarit started Saturday with a four‑shot gap between them, but Zheng’s surge and Tabuena’s eagles erased that lead. The two players were a shot ahead of Japan’s Yosuke Asaji, who also finished 65. South African LIV Golf star Dean Burmester and Kazuki Higa tied for fifth at 14‑under, each shooting a 65 in the third round.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar was in a tight race for the top‑ten spots. He posted a 67 on Saturday but bogeyed the 18th. The result moved him to solo seventh at 13‑under, a single shot ahead of Australia’s Marc Leishman, who finished 65.
Bhullar opened the day with a flawless round, making 13 out of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, a record that helped him stay five strokes back from the leaders. “I played really well today,” he said after the event. “I hit a lot of greens and made a lot of putts, and by the end I had momentum. I’m happy with my performance, even though I missed a chance to finish up on the last hole.”
Karandeep Kochhar also had a solid outing, carding a 67 to climb into the top 20 heading into the final round. Ajeetesh Sandhu posted a respectable 72 with an eagle on the eighth hole, finishing at five under.
Suwannarut, a two‑time winner of the International Series, had a strong start. He began Saturday with a four‑shot lead but only managed five birdies in the third round after a rough second round. “It was a tough day,” he said. “My driver didn’t perform as well as on the first two days, and the pins were tougher. Overall, a solid round but not as good as I’ll aim for next time.”
Tabuena’s performance was one of the tournament’s storylines. A hole‑in‑one and an eagle early in the week helped him ride a seven‑shot lead. His final round featured eagles on the third and 16th holes, where he hit a 257‑yard four‑iron and a 235‑yard five‑iron downwind, respectively. Tabuena told reporters that he had been playing on “flow” all day, concentrating on his own game and putting the competitive pressure aside. “I haven’t played in front of that many people in a long time,” he said. “It was special to be here at home, and I want to finish strong tomorrow.”
Former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, another star in the field, shot a four‑under 68 to move up to tied 26th at eight‑under. Patrick Reed, his 4Aces GC teammate and former Masters winner, made a 71 and slipped to tied 19th.
The International Series Philippines is the 2025 Asian Tour’s sixth of nine elevated events. With a purse of $2 million, the tournament continues to draw top international talent to the region and demonstrates the growing competitiveness of golf in Asia.
Source: ianslive
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