LIPA CITY – Angelo Que stumbled with another closing bogey but still hiked his lead to four over Clyde Mondilla with a six-under 66 as he moved 18 holes away from nailing the ICTSI Classic crown at Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club here yesterday.
Que actually took a six-shot lead going into the par-5 18th after another brilliant eagle-spiked round but dumped his second shot into the hazard and settled for that six-under card and a four-shot lead as Mondilla gained on a two-shot swing with a third straight birdie on the last hole for a 67 in sunny but still windless day at Mt. Lobo and Mt. Makulot nines.
But despite going four-up with a 17-under 199 total, the former three-time Asian Tour winner, toughened up by his stint in the Japan PGA Tour, still opted to downplay his chances for the top P360,000 purse and another impending victory at the Mt. Malarayat’s composite layout.
“I need to stay relaxed and focused. No room for complacency. It’s just a four-shot lead and anything can still happen,” said Que, seeking a follow-up to his runaway triumph at Anvaya Cove Invitational last February and a third straight win here after winning in 2008-09.
Three-up after 36 holes of the R2 million event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., Que shook off Mondilla’s birdie-birdie charge from No. 2 with an eagle-birdie-birdie counter to close out the frontside then sustained his assault at the back with three more birdies before that second straight bogey finish gave Mondilla some semblance of hope for a final round fightback.
The Del Monte ace looked headed to fading out after that early birdie binge as he mixed three bogeys with two birdies in the next six holes. But the Southwoods and Philippine Masters champion bounced back with four birdies at the back to stay in second at 13-under 203.
