Filipino Miguel Tabuena will attempt to join a select group of players who have won his country’s National Open three times when he tees-off in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open on Thursday.

The country’s top golfer [main picture] won the tournament in 2015 and again three years later, and if he is successful this week at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club, he will join two legends of the game in the region who have achieved the hat-trick: Filipino Ben Arda and Chinese-Taipei’s Lu Liang-huang, serial winners in the 1960s and 70s.

His first victory in what is one of the game’s oldest National Opens – it was first played in 1913 – was particularly significant as it was his first title on the Asian Tour.

“It’s when I first felt I belonged on the Asian Tour,” said the 30-year-old about his win that year, when the event was played in Luisita.

Miguel Tabuena (right) pictured with Chan Shih-chang, who is staying with him this week. by Jason Butler/Asian Tour.

“It was probably one of my proudest moments as a professional. It is also a different level if you win an Asian Tour event in your home country. I hope I keep it in Filipino hands this week.”

Surprisingly, this week marks the first time that the event has been played on the Asian Tour since that famous when win by the young Filipino, who was 21 at the time and a professional for four years.

“It was special,” he added, “it was surreal, and I can remember every single part of it. Hopefully, I can get the feeling again.”

Tabuena did not win on Tour last year, but he is coming off the back of an outstanding season that saw his finish seventh on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, thanks to recording two top threes, a fourth, a fifth and seven top 10s in total.

Most of the results came during a busy end to the year, after which he was in need of a well deserved break.

He said: “My game is good, it’s not the sharpest, but I don’t think anyone here will be sharp coming off the break. It’s not a very long off season for us. Especially for me, I ended it the second week of December and I just had to take some time off, it was a very packed end to the season last year.

“I just wanted to restart and just slow down for a bit. Obviously, I knew the consequences of not being as sharp but it’s still nice to build momentum through the start of the season.”

Miguel Tabuena. Picture by Jason Butler/Asian Tour.

This week’s event, which boasts prizemoney of US$500,000, is the season-opener on the Asian Tour, and Tabuena, whose most recent win on the Asian Tour came at the DGC Open presented by Mastercard in 2023, is thrilled the regional circuit is back on his home turf.

“It’s going to be a different week. It’s nice to be in my home country. There can be some local knowledge that can be crucial this week,” explained the Filipino, who mentioned he practices regularly at Manila Southwoods, and even more so when he heard the Smart Infinity Philippine Open was being played there.

“It’s nice to see all the faces I am used to seeing on Tour in the Philippines and I hope I make everyone feel as welcome as possible.”

A third win this week would be a monumental achievement, although he has some way to go to catch compatriot Larry Montes, who has won it a record 12 times, between 1929 and 1954.