Que joint 8th, bags P8.5M

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Filipino Angelo Que finished joint eighth in the CIMB Classic yesterday to pick up a huge paycheck worth $189,000 (around P8.5 million) in the PGA Tour co-sanctioned event won for the second straight year by American Ryan Moore.

Que closed out with a two-under par 70 to tally a 10-under 278 and secure his second Top 10 finish in three weeks, coming on the heels of his runner-up standing in the European Tour-sanctioned Hong Kong Open, where he lost in a playoff to Australia’s Scott Hend.

The feat in Hong Kong had earlier netted him $144,440 (around P6.5 million), giving the 35-year-old Que $333,440 or nearly P15-million in a three-week job.

After strong finishes in the two top-flight tournaments, Que catapulted into fifth position in the Asian Tour Order of Merit even as he breached the P10-million mark in terms of earnings for this year ($379,855 or P17.04 million).

The other Filipino in the field, Tony Lascuña, wound up tied for 71st at seven-over 295.  Lascuña (72-72-74-77) earned $13,790 (about P620,000).

Que, who had earlier rounds of 67, 72 and 69, submitted a 34 on the front nine, where he racked up birdies from Nos. 4 to 6 and had a bogey on 9, to be at 10-under.

He found himself in danger of falling out of the Top 10 when he missed the fairway and submitted a bogey on 16. Que, however, recovered and birdied the next hole to finish at 10-under, a card that put him at No. 8 alongside Rory Sabbatini of South Africa (66), Davis Love III of the USA (68), Prom Meesawat of Thailand (69) and two-day leader Billy Hurley of the USA (73).

Moore successfully defended his CIMB Classic title, shooting a 5-under 67 on Sunday for a three-stroke win over fellow American Gary Woodland, Sergio Garcia, and Kevin Na.

Moore finished on 17-under 271 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club to become the first player to defend a title on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods at the Arnold Palmer Invitation in 2012 and 2013.

Moore had eight birdies against three bogeys in the final round, and earned his fourth PGA Tour title with superb approach shots at the 14th and 17th holes for birdies, and some nerveless putting on the back nine.

“It was incredible to finish the way I did coming down those last few holes,” Moore said. “I like to tell myself all the time that `I am a closer. Let’s just do what we can, hit good shots and let’s close this thing’ and I was able to do that.”

Woodland, who lost to Moore in a playoff at this tournament 12 months earlier, threatened to reverse that result by firing six birdies without a bogey over the first 15 holes to move within a shot of Moore.

He had a birdie putt at 16 for a share of the lead which lipped out, and at 18 he had the chance for another birdie which would have upped the pressure on Moore, but missed it, and the close-range par putt.

“The par fives cost me all week,” Woodland said. “I played beautifully outside the par fives.

“Hopefully I can ride this momentum and play well next week.”

Na birdied three of the first four holes to take a two-stroke lead and still led by a stroke after 12 before things began to unravel.

A bogey on the 13th dropped him back into a share of the lead; at 14, a downhill eagle opportunity slid past the hole at pace and turned into a three-putt for par; and at 15 he missed a birdie putt, leaving him two shots behind. (AP/Olmin Leyba)