Thriller looms as Que stalks Jahns

CAVINTI, Laguna — In an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with the hottest player on the Philippine Golf Tour, Keanu Jahns didn’t blink — and kept his sights on the coveted crown — emerging on top of a fiercely contested day to seize the lead in the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship here Thursday.

The big-hitting Jahns went toe-to-toe with Angelo Que in a duel worthy of the spotlight in second-to-last flight with Rupert Zaragosa, coming out virtually unscathed in a birdie-laden third round.

He fired a sizzling 65 — highlighted by an eagle and a solid frontside 31 — to rise from joint third and into solo leadership at 14-under 202 at Caliraya’s Arnold Palmer-designed course.

Que, unrelenting as ever, launched a fiery frontside assault of his own, nearly matching Jahns’ electric pace with a four-birdie burst across his first nine holes. But he slowed slightly on the back with a two-birdie, one-bogey effort, settling for a 67 to stay within striking distance at 203.

In a flight ahead, Fidel Concepcion mounted a charge of his own, matching Que’s 32-35 card to move to solo third at 204, setting the stage for what is shaping up to be a classic final-round shootout — one teeming with power, poise and pressure.

And it’s not just Jahns versus Que anymore.

While the spotlight may be trained on the veteran Que and the surging Jahns, the final 18 holes promise a six-way thriller, with Concepcion, Aidric Chan (67), Zaragosa (69), and American Collin Wheeler (65) poised to spoil the party. Chan, Zaragosa and Wheeler are tied at 206, just four strokes behind the leader, and are well within reach on a layout yielding birdies in bunches.

Wheeler, in particular, looms as a dangerous wildcard. His bogey-free card, punctuated by pinpoint approaches and a hot putter, makes him one of the most dangerous players heading into the finale.

Zaragosa and Chan, meanwhile, have the shot-making skills and tournament grit to mount a final-day rally.

“This course is gettable,” said Jahns, who’s gunning for his first win since Forest Hills last year.

“It’s going to be another low round tomorrow, so you have to watch out for the other guys who are two or three flights ahead of you.”

Que echoed the sentiment, refusing to frame the final round as a two-man shootout.

“Not really a shootout,” Que said.

“I feel like I’m just playing with a friend. He’s learning from me and I’m learning from him. So, it’s going to be fun.”