ASEAN Tour Singapore Leg: Angelo Que claims ASEAN triumph at Laguna National

For the second week in a row Singapore witnessed another angelic performance on the golf course after Angelo Que claimed the Laguna National ASEAN Championship.

Last week Angel Cabrera from Argentina won the Barclays Singapore Open, and Que triumphed by one stroke today over Malaysian Danny Chia and Singapore amateur sensation Quincy Quek.

Que closed with a three-under-par 69 over the Classic Course at Laguna National Golf and Country Club to finish with a stunning four-round aggregate of 20-under-par 268.

Chia also shot a 69 while Quek closed with a 66 in the US$50,000 event. A shot further back was Felix Casas from the Philippines, in with 68.

Singapore’s Mardan Mamat returned a 71 to finish in fifth place seven behind Que.

In a gripping finish to the tournament Que and Chia, playing in the last flight, were tied playing the final hole. Feeling the pressure both players hit poor drives with Que pulling his tee shot left into the rough while Chia found water down the right side.

Que managed to scramble a bogey five but Chia recorded a double bogey after seeing his bogey putt from 12 feet slip past the cup. Casas also took a costly six on 18.

“This is a great win for me and has given me a lot of confidence. I was so relaxed out there - it was just like playing a round with my mates. I have never shot 20 under before, I think my best was about 12 under,” said Que.

The Laguna National ASEAN Championship is the third leg of this year’s ASEAN Golf Tour – which was launched in September. Que finished joint fourth and equal eighth in the first two events.

“The ASEAN Golf Tour is about giving more playing opportunities to professionals in the region who do not have a chance to play on Asia’s main circuit. However, it is also a great opportunity for players like myself, Danny (Chia), and Mardan (Mamat) to get some tournament practice when the big events are not being played,” said Que, who started the day one in front of Chia.

Chia had a roller coaster back nine birdieing 10, 11, 14, 15 and 17 but he double bogeyed 12 and 18.

“That is the second time this week I have found the water on 18. The angle of the tee unsettles me a bit. I played really well this week, that is the main thing but just made a couple of costly mistakes in each round and had a bit of bad luck,” said Chia, won the US$50,000 International Championship presented by Telkomsel – the inaugural event on the ASEAN Golf Tour in Indonesia in September.

Quek, aged 20, played a nearly flawless round making the turn in four under par. A bogey on the par-four 16th was the only blemish on his scorecard.

“I played great. Pity about the bogey as that would have got me into a play off. I am not worried, it’s been two great weeks,” said the Singaporean, who was the leading amateur in last week’s Barclays Singapore Open.

He has another year and half in the National Service but golf is still very much part of his schedule as he prepares to play for his country in the forthcoming Putra Cup in the Philippines and the SEA Games in Thailand.

Leading Final Round scores (par 72):

268 – Angelo Que (PHI) 65-66-68-69
269 – Danny Chia (MAS) 64-68-68-69, Quincy Quek (SIN) (a) 70-64-69-66
270 – Felix Casas (PHI) 68-66-68-68
275 – Mardan Mamat (SIN) 67-71-66-71
276 – Khor Kheng Hwai (MAS) 71-66-71-68, Nakul Vichitryuthasatr (THA) 67-71-70-68, Jerome Delariarte (PHI) 68-72-71-65
278 – Mars Pucay (PHI) 68-73-65-72, S. Sivachandran (MAS) 70-69-69-70

November 10, 2007

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