Que stretches lead with 66, nears crown

Angelo Que is turning the ICTSI Summit Point Championship into a test of just how far brilliance and consistency can carry a player, with the reigning Order of Merit champion firing a third straight 66 on Thursday to stretch his lead to five strokes heading into the final round.

Que’s remarkable three-day run has transformed what was expected to be a grind-it-out battle in the P2.5-million championship into a potential runaway, as the veteran campaigner moved within 18 holes of claiming his second victory of the season and 21st career title.

After opening with a 66 and matching that score with a bogey-free round Wednesday, Que again produced a six-under card at the Summit Point Golf and Country Club Thursday, this time highlighted by a spectacular pitch-in eagle on the tricky par-4 No. 10.

The performance left the three-time Asian Tour winner at 18-under 198, five shots clear of Justin Quiban, who also carded a 66 to keep himself within striking distance at 203.

For Que, however, the commanding advantage is no reason to ease up.

“It’s pretty satisfying, but, you know, even if you have a big lead, it’s not really a way for you to just relax. I’m still gonna play my game and try to play like normal,” said Que, who won the Caliraya Springs leg in dramatic fashion last May.

And there was little sign Thursday that he intended to change his approach.

Playing in practically calm conditions on a softened Summit Point course, Que continued to attack when the opportunity presented itself and showed the composure to back off when the risk outweighed the reward.

He went out in 33 and then exploded into the back nine with a pitch-in eagle on No. 10 followed by a birdie, suddenly opening a seven-shot gap over the field.

The veteran ace eventually gave back some of that advantage with a bogey and a par before closing with a birdie, settling for another 66 but retaining a formidable five-shot cushion.

Que said his strategy for the final round will remain dictated by the situation rather than the size of his lead.

“I’m still going to play my game, just like a normal round. If I know I can attack, I’ll attack. If it’s risky, then I’ll just play conservatively,” said the 47-year-old Que, whose 23-year professional career has been marked by an ability to win in virtually every fashion — from come-from-behind charges and stretch-run battles to commanding wire-to-wire performances.

His three-day dominance came as little surprise to the veteran, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of putting together solid rounds rather than worrying about the scoreboard.

“Not really, because if you shoot 6-under every day, I think your lead is gonna keep growing. If you keep shooting the lowest score every round, I think that will just extend the lead,” he said.

That relentless scoring has indeed widened the gap with every round.

Quiban, the first-round leader, remained Que’s closest challenger after rallying with three birdies over his last four holes for a 66 and a 13-under total.

Aidric Chan shot a 67 to stay third at 204, while Reymon Jaraula slipped to fourth at 208 after a 71. Kristoffer Arevalo and Hyun Jin Youn both fired 67s to remain tied for fifth at 209.

Carl Corpus, who began the day just four shots behind Que, endured a difficult round, carding a 74 that dropped him into a tie for seventh at 210 — 12 shots off the pace.

Also at 210 are Russell Bautista, who shot 69, Sean Ramos (70) and Keanu Jahns (72).

But while the pursuers made their moves, Que continued to make the tournament increasingly his own.