Que ends up joint 21st; Rai triumphs

MANILA, Philippines — Angelo Que put on a strong windup to close out with a three-under 67 and finish tied for 21st in the Hong Kong Open won by Aaron Rai of England in wire-to-wire fashion at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling yesterday.

Que gunned down three birdies against two bogeys after 14 holes then birdied the last two to turn in his best round in four days, a 34-33 card that moved him 21 rungs higher from joint 41st in the third round of the $2 million event.

The power-hitting Filipino shotmaker, who lost the HK Open crown to Aussie Scott Hend in a playoff in 2014, struggled in the opener with a one-over 71 and failed to keep pace with the field’s torrid scoring in the next two days, dropping out of contention despite 68-69.

With a 275 total, the 39-year-old Que ended 12 strokes behind Rai, who pounced on compatriot Matthew Fitzpatrick’s late mishap to essay a one-shot victory worth $333,330 with a 69 for an 17-under 263.

Fitzpatrick, who started the final round six shots behind Rai, pulled to within one with a seventh birdie on No. 16. But he bogeyed the next, enabling the latter to complete the victory despite Rai’s final hole bogey miscue.

Sergio Garcia carded a 69 and wound up tied for sixth at 271; Hend turned in a second straight 69 for a share of ninth at 272 while last year’s winner Wade Ormsby, also from Down Under, wound up tied for 36th at 277 after a 72 and this year’s Masters champion Patrick Reed of the US wound up way behind at 45th at 278 after a 69.