Angelo Que bucked a first bogey mishap in the Laguna National Asean Championship as he went on to fire a four-under par 68 and remained at the helm after three rounds of play at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club in Singapore yesterday.
Que, who shot 65 and 66 in the first two rounds to seize control, assembled a 54-hole aggregate of 199, keeping a one-shot lead over Malaysian Danny Chia, who carded a 68 for a 200.
Cassius Casas also shot a 68 but remained three strokes off the pace with a 202.
A stroke further back is Singapore’s amateur star Quincy Quek, who turned in a 69 after sizzling with a 64 Friday.
“I played the front nine really well in five under but then had my first bogey in 49 holes on the 13th. I missed a few putts after that as well,” said Que.
The Laguna National Asean Championship is the third leg of this year’s Asean Golf Tour, which was launched in September.
Que finished joint fourth in the opening event in Indonesia, where Chia triumphed, and he was equal eighth in the Philippine leg, won by Mars Pucay.
“There are a lot of good players behind me like Danny (Chia), Felix (Casas), and Mardan and of course Quincy, what a prospect he is,” added Que, who has claimed one title on the Asian Tour since turning professional in 2003.
Chia is working hard on the mental side of his game and just as he did after the second round he blamed two lapses in concentration for preventing him from shooting a lower score.
“I played really well but made two costly mistakes. On the fourth I lost my ball as it plugged and on 18 I hit a poor drive and had to take a penalty drop. Again it was just some mental mistakes which hopefully I will not make tomorrow,” said Chia.
Quek, who was paired with Que and Chia in the final pairing held his own and recorded a bogey free round. He birdied the ninth, 12th and 15th, all par fives.
“I missed a ton of birdie putts out there. I’ll need start holing a few in the final round,” said Quek.
His famous compatriot Mardan Mamat carded his best round of the week, a 66, to have a chance in the final round as he only five behind Que.
Singapore’s top golfer had five birdies on the trot from the 13th and eight birdies in all to give himself a shot a winning what is the first ASEAN Golf Tour event he has played in.