Sinfuego upstages Que, posts 1-shot edge

LIPA, Batangas, Philippines – Richard Sinfuego outgunned reigning Philippine Open champion Angelo Que in a shootout, firing a two-under par 70 to wrest back a one-stroke lead in the third round of the $50,000 (about P2.4 million) ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Championship here yesterday.

Sinfuego rode on a solid frontside stint to cushion the impact of a faltering finish, which Que failed to cash in, enabling the former to move within 18 holes from ending a six-year title drought.

The 70 of Sinfuego, a 37-year-old pro playing out of Canlubang, was his worst in three days but it gave him a one-shot cushion on halfway leader Que, who could only match par after his sizzling rounds of 66 and 68.

Sinfuego, who has a 202 total for 54 holes, and Que (203) will be paired again in today’s final round, hoping to score a much-awaited Philippine victory in this year’s Mercedes-Benz Tour.

Jerome Delariarte needed a big comeback to salvage a 72 and force a tie with the best foreign player in the rankings, Namchok Tantipokakul of Thailand, at 209. Namchok shot a 69.

It’s been a dream week for Sinfuego and even the blustery winds at Mt. Malarayat couldn’t slow him down.

“We don’t have much of the opportunity to play in an international tournament, so when it comes we just try to do well,” said Sinfuego in Filipino.

Sinfuego has never actively campaigned abroad but remains hopeful he can make it someday.

“Of course, it’s something I want to happen for my career. I’m not losing hope, I know it’s going to happen,” he said.

On his final round duel with Que, Sinfuego said he’ll just take it easy and avoid putting too much pressure on himself. “It’s going to be battle on the greens, Angelo will have the advantage since he’s well exposed to big tournaments but I’ll just try to play my game.”

Que’s title-retention bid hit a snag when he double-bogeyed the par-3 11th hole. Though he managed to recover with birdies on the 13th and 14th, a pair of bogeys on the 15th and 16th pulled him a shot behind before he missed a 16-foot sidehiller on the 18th.