Que ends up joint 7th, wins P3.4 million

MANILA, Philippines - Angelo Que completed a memorable week in the Omega European Masters, finishing joint seventh with a closing one under par 70 and winning a whopping $69,620 (P3.4 million) purse in the $2.8 million tournament won by Swede Alexander Noren at the Crans-sur-Sierre course in Switzerland last Sunday.

Two bogeys in the last three holes spoiled Que’s bid for a top five finish in the elite tournament, which gathered some of the world’s top players, as the 31-year-old Filipino shotmaker blew a brilliant start with a faltering finish and wound up in the company of Englishmen Simon Dyson and David Howell and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

“I’m actually happy with the way I played, four rounds of under par is pretty good. I didn’t make many putts in the final round which I had hoped for. Everyone else played better which made me look I played bad but I didn’t play bad,” said Que, who finished with a 12-under 272 from rounds of 69, 65, 68 and 70.

Four shots behind the leader at the start of the round, Que eagled the opening hole to move up to second but a bogey on the third and a double bogey on the fourth derailed his title charge. He came back with five more birdies but fumbled with three bogeys, including on Nos. 16 and 18.

“I didn’t hole the putts which I usually make. I could have finished higher but you can’t have everything,” said Que.

He missed becoming the top Asian player in the tournament as Asian Tour No. 1 Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand fired a four-under par 67 to finish solo fifth with a 270.

Noren shot a five-under par 66 for an 20-under 264 and a two-shot victory worth $476,518 over Bradley Dredge of Wales, who had a 266 atter a 65 for $317,650.

Ross McGowan of England came in third with a 267 after a 65 while Miguel Angel Jimenez of Argentina carded a 67 and wound up fourth with a 269.

Noren, 27, holed a difficult bunker shot for an eagle-3 at the long 15th as he beat Dredge, the 2006 winner, to notch his maiden European Tour crown in front of a crowd which included Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon.

“I was so happy when that bunker shot went in. I’ve never felt this good about my game, and to win was just brilliant,” said Noren. Noren, whose campaign in the season was hampered by wrist and knee injuries, entered the week only 88th on The Race to Dubai and 130th in the Official Golf World Rankings.

“It was a fun battle, and Alex produced a great shot on the 15th – so congratulations to him,” said Dredge, after a 65 that included a 63 yard pitch-in for eagle on No. 9 as he drew level from four behind.