Que wins 2nd TCC Invitational title

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Before the start of the final round, Angelo Que reviewed the pin placement card and saw that there were four medium and 14 very difficult holes in play. So what needs to be done, he asked himself? Just play calm and composed and make every birdie chance. That’s exactly what Que did which allowed him to hoist his second title in the P4.7-million The Country Club (TCC) Invitational crown and pocket the P1.45-million top prize as he fended off any challenge from Artemio Murakami, Marvin Dumandan, and a late-surging Juvic Pagunsan. The pin placements were so hard that even Que was not spared. He had birdie opportunities in the first two holes but both putts lipped out. He missed another birdie on the third from 16 feet.

By the fourth hole, he made a par to distance himself farther from Murakami, who had a double-bogey after a wayward drive. He capped his round with a 20-foot sidehill putt for a birdie on the 72nd hole, then pumped his right fist and tipped off his cap to cap his weeklong brilliance against the cream of the country’s pro crop and on one of the toughest courses in the land. The 31-year-old Que, who’ll see action in the Asian tour kick-off event the Asian Tour Invitational next week, finished with a one-under par 279 total, put in with solid numbers in the first three days that included a pair of 68s and a lucky 71 fashioned out under brutal windy conditions. “Unlike in my 2007 win, I played more relaxed today. But I think I gave it all in the first three days. So I just kind of reaped the reward," said Que, who has raked in over P4 million in the last four years here, including two runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009. Pagunsan, the 2006 and 2008 champion in this event put up by ICTSI, was eight strokes behind Que in a separate flight but rallied with a one-under 70 for a 284, vaulting from joint fifth to solo second worth P690,000. Dumandan turned in a two-over 72 and snatched third place honors with a 286 worth P430,000 while Murakami, who ran away with last year’s crown via a record 13-shot victory over Que, faltered with a four-over 74 and slid to fourth with a 287. He took home P310,000. Unfancied Ramil Bisera completed an inspiring top five finish despite a closing 75 as he assembled a 290 and won P230,000, besting the likes of Asian Tour veterans Tony Lascuna, Mars Pucay and Frankie Miñoza, who finished joint sixth with 291 worth P156,334 each. Lascuna matched par 70, Pucay carded a 73, while Miñoza, who bounced back with a three-under 67 in the third round, failed to sustain his charge and stumbled with a 76 as the par-70 layout yielded just one under-par score and one even-par round. Joenard Rates, who upstaged the high-powered field with a 67 in the first round, also struggled with a 76 and wound up ninth with 292 worth P115,000 while Jun Bernis (73) and Philippine Open champion and Philippine Golf Tour’s Order of Merit winner Elmer Salvador (75) ended joint 10th with 293. Each received P98,500. Reigning national champion Mhark Fernando emerged the low amateur with a 289 aggregate for a fifth place finish after a 71, nipping Chihiro Ikeda, who had a 72 and a 291 as erstwhile leader Dottie Ardina faltered with a 78 and a 292 for third. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV