Que shoots for title vs Pagunsan

Angelo Que wore down veteran Iggy Clavecilla, 2 and 1, yesterday to arrange an intriguing duel with fellow national team member Juvic Pagunsan for the Philippine Amateur golf crown which he thinks he would need to win on his pro bid next year.

"Win or lose, I will really turn pro next year. And I feel that winning the title will help boost my confidence in the pro ranks," said Que after surviving the gutsy stand of the 53-year-old Clavecilla in their semis clash and remaining on track of his back-to-back title quest.

But out to spoil his bid to join the elite circle of repeat winners here is Pagunsan, who virtually bundled out Solomon Gines in the frontside before coasting to a 4 and 3 victory in a duel of Canlubang bets to gain a crack for the country’s most prestigious amateur crown.

After stopping an otherwise great run by Cookie La’O in the quarterfinal round Friday and foiling the vintage Clavecilla, Que looms as the man to beat in the 36-hole championship slated at 7 a.m. today, also at the Alabang Country Club layout.

For one, the sturdy Que appears ready – mentally and physically – for the marathon duel which many say will be a test not only of shotmaking skills but endurance as well considering the nature of the championship – 36 holes – and the difficult playing condition.

But Pagunsan, despite his reed-thin frame which his supporters say belies his power off the mound and staying power, said he’s in tip-top shape and vowed to turn his first stint in the championship into a successful campaign.

He hopes to dish out the same game he showed yesterday, where he won five straight holes from the third hole en route to the victory.

Over in Japan, Frankie Miñoza struggled with a two-over par 74 yesterday and bowed out of contention in the $976,000 Munsingwear Open KBS Cup Rokko Kokusai Golf Club course in Kobe, Japan.

With a 218 aggregate, which included rounds of 73 and 72, the 41-year-old Miñoza fell 14 strokes off Fiji’s Dinesh Chand, who sizzled with a 67 for a 204 and a one-shot lead over Taichi Teshima, firing a 68, heading into the final round of the event.