Que ends up 22nd, pockets P1.3M

MANILA, Philippines - Angelo Que battled back with two late birdies to shoot a two-under 69 and finish joint 22nd in the European Masters won by Dane Thomas Bjorn in a playoff against Scot Craig Lee at the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland Sunday.

The Filipino ace actually went on a hot start with two birdies in the first six holes but fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 8 and 11, needing to birdie Nos. 15 and 18 to salvage a 35-34 card. He wound up with a 72-hole aggregate of seven-under 277 and took home E23,870 worth P1.3 million.

Bjorn closed out with a flawless 65 and a 264 then nipped Lee, who also had a bogey-free 67, for the crown. Bjorn watched Lee flub a birdie try from 20 feet then banged in his own bid from 10 feet to win.

Que, whose best finish in the annual event was joint seventh in 2009, shot two 70s in the first two days then turned in a 68 to gain a share of 24th after three rounds.

Meanwhile, Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee emerged the highest-ranked Asian at joint ninth. With 10 out of 30 players from the Asian Tour making it to the weekend play, Euro Masters tournament director Yves Mittaz said the playing standards of Asian players are improving.

“It’s good to see Asian players making progress and as the Euro Masters continues to remain a co-sanctioned event with the European Tour, hopefully we’ll see one of them win here one day,” said Mittaz.

“A lot of our guys are right up there because we’re getting used to the course, the altitude, the weather and I think it goes to show that if you put us anywhere, we can pretty much do anything,” said Que.