MANILA, Philippines - He flubbed a 10-footer for par at resumption of the rain-suspended round Friday and Angelo Que dropped four more strokes in the next seven holes to finish his first round in two days with a seven-over 77.
The 31-year-old Filipino shotmaker had hoped for a better showing when heavy rain forced the suspension of the opener of the US Open at the long Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
“I still have a 10 footer for par to work on tomorrow (Friday) at 7:30 a.m. So far amidst the rain, wind and cold, I am happy with the way I am hitting it,” said Que in his blog late Thursday when he had wrapped up a two-over card after 11 holes over the rain-softened turf that had the field coping up with mud-balls.
He didn’t make the par and made another bogey on the next. Worse he closed out with a bogey-bogey-bogey even when the sun had started to shine over the par-70 layout.
With a 77, Que’s second appearance in a golfing major appears to go the same as in the first one.
He stood in joint 117, in the company of such big names as Stuart Appleby, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Michael Campbell but too far behind the 65-player line that will advance to the Open weekend.
“The setup at Bethpage Black course is awesome and the golf course is the toughest I have ever played. It is so long and demanding that it puts such a premium on every part of your game,” said Que, who had a couple of practice rounds while working hard at the driving range in between before he teed off Thursday.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself yet so I am just mentally preparing myself for more rain delays to come,” said Que, who missed the cut in his first crack at the major in the British Open last year.
But the reigning Philippine Open champion came into the US Open oozing with confidence, hopeful of making it to all the way to the last two rounds with a right frame of mind. But the way he played at resumption showed his lack of experience in tackling such a difficult layout that has punished even the best of the lot.
“The golf course will wear you out so the key is to stay patient and don’t force things,” said Que.
Now, Que needs no less than shoot an almost impossible low round just to stay on course of his quest for an extended stint in the Open weekend.