Que grabs lead with record 67

Fancied Angelo Que torched the front nine with five birdies en route to matching the course record of five-under-par 67 yesterday that gave him a four-stroke lead over Marlon Dizon after the penultimate round of the inaugural Manila Amateur golf championship at Wack Wack’s west course.

The 23-year-old Que bravely battled the afternoon gusts to preserve a 32 he worked so hard for in the front nine, then watched Dizon fade with a hail of bogeys down the last four holes to wrest control.

Tying the record set by pro Danny Zarate in 1999, Que completed 54 holes over the compact but challenging layout at 208, eight-under par, after earlier rounds of 73 and 68.

Dizon, shooting at 72 for 212, was only one down after 14 holes but he finished bogey-bogey-par-bogey in a disappointing plunge that put his bid in danger for a second major title.

Two-day leader Jerome Delariarte likewise fell victim to the tough playing conditions as he soared to a four-over 76 and dropped to solo third at 214 in the tourney organized by popular golf store chain PacSports in cooperation with Wack Wack.

"I can’t consider it a comfortable lead. It’s still anybody’s game especially since this is the home course of Marlon (Dizon)," said Que, who is preparing for his second defense of the national match play crown next month.

Que went on a birdie binge starting from the second. He reached the green with his second shot on the fourth and gunned down two more on the sixth and seventh before giving up a stroke on the eighth after hitting his tee-shot to the bunker.

He got the stroke back with another birdie on the ninth before making the course record-tying birdie on the 10th from eight feet.

Nobody made a significant charge to break the expected three-cornered fight in the final round today.

Cookie LaO broke par again, this time with a 70 but could only jump to fourth, still a far 11 strokes behind at 219. Juvic Pagunsan improved to a 73 for solo fifth at 222 and Jun Jun Plana levelled par 72 for 223.

Andy Vasquez was the early leader in the seniors division with a 75, leading former national champ Caloy Coscolluela by three strokes.