Delariarte ruins pal’s 3-peat bid, wins crown

GEN. TRIAS, Cavite — Jerome Delariarte foiled Angelo Que’s bid for a piece of history with a thrilling 1-up victory yesterday in the marathon 36-hole final of the Philippine amateur golf championship at the Dye course of the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club here.

Que teed off on the 18th hole dead even with Delariarte but he failed to match the latter’s par when he missed a tying putt from less than three feet on the final hole to the horror of the small gallery.

Earlier, Delariarte reached the greenside with his second shot on the par-5 18th and looked ready to put the lock on the crown as Que left his own second short and into the bunker before blasting out to within 16 feet.

Delariarte bungled his eagle attempt, his putt going four feet past the hole, and gave Que a new lease on life when his birdie putt lipped out of the cup.

Que, however, succumbed to pressure as he misread the line of his final putt, the ball swerving away from the hole. That prevented the Fil-Chinese from matching the only three-peat feat made by Golem Silverio in the tourney.

"He’s got two already, I think I deserve to win one," said Delariarte, hardly showing any regret in disappointing his training partner as Southwoods players and bosom buddy.

"He played better so I guess he deserves the crown more," said Que, who is expected to lead the country’s Asian Games campaign with Delariarte three months from now.

Que made what could be the shot of the tournament on the 35th hole, the treacherous par-3 eighth, where he saved par from the deep, deep bunker and an unranked lie to draw level with Delariarte.

Que’s final drive landed on the rough which made it difficult for him to reach the green with his second shot.