As the nation reeled from one corruption scandal after another, Miguel Tabuena rose above it all, giving Filipinos a reason to smile — and to believe in honest success again.

Under the sweltering Laguna sun, the 31-year-old stood steady at Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club, crafting a victory at the International Series Philippines presented by Bingo Plus that spoke of discipline, patience and pride.

A spectacular chip-in eagle on the eighth hole set the tone for the victory, prompting Tabuena to let out a rare, triumphant roar. It was his fifth eagle of the week and the moment he took the lead for the first time.

“It was the first time that I let all my emotions out. I lost my voice in the next few holes, but it’s nice to feel that everything is now under control,” he recalled.

From there, his advantage steadily widened — two shots, then three, then four — as China’s Sampson Zheng and Thailand’s Sirat Sunnawarut began to fade down the stretch.

By the time Tabuena stepped onto the final tee, he was already three shots clear of Japanese challengers Yosuke Asaji and Kazuki Higa, both of whom were already in the clubhouse.

But he wasn’t finished yet. A poor tee shot landed in the rough on the left side of the fairway. Undeterred, Tabuena played out to the fairway and then stuck a wedge shot to within six feet, setting up the final putt.

Family celebration

When the ball dropped, Tabuena fell to his knees, punched the ground, and embraced his mother, Lorna. The celebration quickly spread across the green: the newly crowned champion hugged his father Luigi, then his wife Sandra and two-year-old daughter Paloma, before joining the jubilant crowd.

“It’s a dream come true. You can’t imagine it to get any better than this,” he said later in the post-press conference. “It was hard to keep it together, just the whole week. With the expectations I had, to be able to get it done, it’s a very special feeling.”

Tabuena capped his brilliant week with a seven-under-par 65, finishing at 24-under, just two shots shy of the tournament record of 26-under shared by Andy Ogletree (2022), John Catlin (2024) and David Puig (2024).

His triumph made him only the second player to win an International Series event on home soil, a feat that further cemented his status as the country’s top golf star.

Japan’s Yosuke Asaji and Kazuki Higa shared second place at 21-under, after rounds of 65 and 67, respectively. Tabuena’s final-round partners — China’s Sampson Zheng and Thailand’s Sirat Sunnawarut — carded matching 69s to finish tied for fourth at 20-under.

Filipino standouts Justin Quiban and Angelo Que also delivered solid performances, lifted by the energy of the home crowd. Quiban closed with a 70 for 11-under, securing a Top 20 finish, while Que bounced back from a rough third round with a 68 to end at 10-under.

Leishman’s late charge

Some of the biggest names descended to give the tournament star power, but none came close to contending for the title — save perhaps for Australian icon Marc Leishman, an LIV Golf regular, who made good on his promise to go low.

Leishman had an eagle and five birdies for a 65 and a 19-under total.

South African Charl Schwartzel, one of four major champions in the field, danced on the green after a closing birdie for 68 and 14-under.

Former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, whose bid was hurt by a second-round 75, settled for a 67 and 13-under, while fellow American Patrick Reed had a quiet 70 for 11-under.

South African great Louis Oosthuizen, another major winner in the field, missed the cut by one.

Tabuena, who pocketed the top purse of $360,000 (roughly P20 million), rose to No. 3 in the 2025 Order of Merit, trailing new leader Higa and idle Scott Vincent.

“That’s the goal. I wanna be on LIV. That’s a big goal this year with my team,” he said. “I didn’t have that in mind, but to be able to get it done brings so much confidence, and hopefully, I’ll get there next week.”

He flies to Hong Kong on Monday for another International Series event, hoping to carry the momentum of his win.

Playing at his home course, Tabuena carried the hopes of a nation longing for good news. The International Series was the perfect stage — and he delivered, neck spasms and all.

Shot of hope

“My body wasn’t 100 percent. I even withdrew from Macau last week because of neck spasms,” he shared. “But somehow, with my team, we got it done. It’s humbling to feel all the support I received out there, no matter what challenges came up.”

Remarkably, the last time a Filipino captured an international title on home soil was a decade ago — and that winner was also Tabuena, during the Philippine Open at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

Tabuena’s victory comes at a poignant time, as the country faces the possible loss of one of its oldest golf courses, Club Intramuros in Manila — a landmark that has long been a cradle of local golfing talent.

Beyond personal triumph, his win gives a timely boost to Philippine golf and tourism, proving the country’s ability to host world-class tournaments. The large turnout in Sta. Elena signaled a bright future for the sport and rekindled national pride.

Tabuena’s victory, therefore, is not just a win on the greens — it’s a shot of hope for a country hungry for heroes.