Que loses in playoff but bags P6.4M

MANILA, Philippines - The Asian Tour playoff curse hounded the Filipinos again yesterday as Angelo Que yielded the Hong Kong Open crown to Aussie Scott Hend in sudden death at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling yesterday.

Que rode on a fiery windup of four birdies in the last seven holes to close out with a 66 and finish ahead of the pack before Hend came in with a 67 to force a playoff for the crown at 13-under 267 total.

But the ace Filipino shotmaker bogeyed the first playoff hole on the par-4 18th after a poor chip from the greenside while Hend drilled in a five-foot par putt to clinch the victory and the top $216,660 purse.

Que, however, took $144,440 (P6.4 million) although it extended the former three-time Asian Tour leg champion’s winless campaign in the season about to end. His runner-up finish also moved him to sixth in the Asian Tour Order of Merit ranking which earned him a spot in the rich CIMB Classic in Malaysia in two weeks time.

In was the third loss by a Filipino in a playoff in the last five legs of the Asian Tour with Miguel Tabuena bowing to Thai Prom Meesawat in the Yeangder Players Championship in Thailand and Tony Lascuna losing to another Thai Chapchai Nirat in the Selangor Masters in Malaysia, both last September.