Que elated for another crack at Philippine Open crown

CARMONA, Cavite – Eighteen years since he won the Philippine Open, Angelo Que is happy to have a chance to regain the championship he once hoisted back in 2008. 

Now 47, Que said the dream to win the Philippine Open once again is “still there” as he heads the local delegation in the 108th edition of the golf tournament, which stakes a $1-million purse.

“Winning it the second time around, it's going to be big for me, especially at my age,” Que told reporters at a press conference at the Manila Southwoods Masters here. 

“But, you know what? Challenges are tough because the players are really good nowadays. And they're young,” he added.

But above anything, Que said that he is just happy that he gets to play in the national open. 

“Eighteen years ago, that seems like a long time ago but every year, I get a chance to play in the Philippine Open. Of course, it's good that I still have a chance to play and if I do well, maybe even win,” he said.

“But my expectations are not… I’m not trying to expect [anything], I'm just happy that I can still play even after that long.” 

Que will spearhead the 27-man Filipino delegation in the tournament. 

He said that there is “there’s a lot of pressure” in playing at home, but “you just have to go out there and do what you need to do.”

“You have to block everything out, and just pretend that you're just playing a round.”

Still, the veteran golfer, who also won a silver medal in the 1998 Asian Games, stressed that home court advantage is a thing, even for golf.

“The only difference is this year, even last year and this year, we're used to playing this course as a par-72 and we were used to playing fairways but since they changed it, it sort of diminished that home course advantage for us,” he said of the tournament, which is now a par-70. 

“Although, we still know the course better than everyone else that we've played but, at the end of the day, it's still up to the player if they can overcome it or not. You still have to play well.”

Que won the 2008 edition of the Philippine Open, edging Danny Chia of Malaysia by one stroke.

In the last five editions of the tournament, two Filipinos ruled it in three years — Miguel Tabuena in 2015 and 2018, and Clyde Mondilla in 2019. 

Last year, French golfer Julien Sale topped the tournament. Steve Lewton reigned supreme in the 2017 edition.

Que, for his part, said that he is happy to be able to play against the local bets, some of whom are his students.

“Some of them are my students. I guess I'm rooting for everybody. I hope that all of us do well in the tournament,” he said.

The Philippine Open will tee off on Thursday and will run until Sunday.