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Ignited with grit and perseverance, ArenaPlus ambassador Miguel Tabuena wins his first International Series trophy at the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus.
Stepping on the fairways of his home club, the Filipino golfer made his way to the top spot with excellent drives and knowledge of every hole at the Sta. Elena Golf Course. Tabuena, who turned 31 just a week before the tournament, was playing on a very familiar turf and in front of a supportive home crowd cheering him on, that he used to his advantage, coming off from an ace with his hole-in-one on day 2 of the tournament, he kept his lead until the final round of the game, scoring 69, 65, 65, and 65 with 5 eagles and a hole-in-one, to take home the prestigious International Series trophy.
Setting up for the final round of the tournament, he faced the challenges and defied all odds, with some shots landing at the bunker and sometimes at the rough but being persistent and using his experience in the field, Tabuena was able to use the slope on the fairway to sink it in at hole 8, as he gave a loud roar together with the cheering crowd. In a fairytale ending, Tabuena fell to his knees after his last shot at hole 18, beating two time International Series winner Sarit Suwannarut and rising star Sampson Zheng.
The crowd went loud and cheered him on while being congratulated by his caddie Lan and other golfers, along with his family, greeting him with a hug and showering him with water, giving him a champions celebration. Fans who followed through the course congratulated him, this win at the tournament currently places him at rank #2 in the International Series as they head on to 3 more countries to wrap up this year’s series of golf events with the Asian Tour and LIV Golf.
The final press conference for the winner
Right after the game Tabuena was able to say a few words: “I’m thankful for all my family and friends for coming out, it’s nice to get the win at my home club, with everyone here supporting”.
Swinging above the odds, Tabuena also became ArenaPlus first golf ambassador heading into the tournament with this partnership, he aims to develop the game of golf to the younger generations and hopes that more people will support the grassroots in pursuing or nurturing more Filipino athletes in the sport stating that “It’s nice to win this with my ArenaPlus family, it’s the first event that we’ve done together and certainly won’t be the last, this will be a longtime partnership as we continue to grow the game here.”
When asked to give a message regarding local athletes, Tabuena showed full support, “for local players I could say that they shouldn’t take it for granted and with the partnership with ArenaPlus it became more accessible and more fun for all of us in the Philippines to help grow the game, and I am truly blessed to be a part of it.”
Tabuena’s hardfought win according to him was, “by far the biggest win, not only prize money wise, but in terms of the overall experience and environment, it’s not easy to win in front of all of you, and I’m just glad that I was able to win it for all of you guys.”
This marks Tabuena’s 22nd professional win, adding another historic milestone to the hometown hero as he became the first Filipino to win the International Series on the Asian Tour, representing the Philippine flag for the first International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus.
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.
