GEN. TRIAS, Cavite – Angelo Que opened the new Philippine Golf Tour season in historic fashion, securing consecutive wins with contrasting styles.
Following a wire-to-wire triumph at Pradera Verde two weeks ago, the veteran golfer staged a dramatic comeback to capture the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Championship title. He closed with a 70 on Thursday at the Faldo course, edging Guido van der Valk by two strokes.
Que became the first player to win both opening legs of a PGT season.
“It feels great,” said Que. “At first, I didn’t think I could do it, especially after that rough opening round – a 77. But in the second round, I found my rhythm, made three key birdies, and suddenly, I was back in contention.”
Back-to-back birdies from No. 9 pulled him even with van der Valk at two-under overall, setting up a tense final stretch. Instead of an outright shootout, the match became a test of patience and strategy on a demanding course.
Van der Valk experienced a rollercoaster run with bogeys and birdies over the next four holes, while Que took a steadier approach, prioritizing pars over risks. His patience paid off. As Que maintained his composure, van der Valk stumbled with costly bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16, clearing the way for Que’s victory. He finished with a four-day total of five-over 293, earning PHP360,000.
Que credited his success to two key factors: driving and putting.
“I drove the ball really well all week, barely missing fairways. Even when I did, I was still in play, never in real trouble. But the real difference came on the greens. I holed some crucial putts on Nos. 15, 16, and 17. Had I missed any of those, Guido and I would have been neck and neck, and the pressure on the last hole would’ve been immense.”
Van der Valk, who had also led in The Country Club Invitational last January before losing in a playoff to Korean Minwook Gwon, finished with a 74 for a runner-up total of 295, taking home PHP236,000.
Clyde Mondilla made a strong push, cutting a five-stroke deficit to one after a four-under card through No. 14. However, a double bogey on the par-3 17th crushed his chances. He settled for a closing 70 and third place at 296, earning PHP136,000.
Lloyd Go, who began the final round tied with Que, struggled throughout. He managed two bogeys in a birdie-free 74, placing fourth at 297.
Sean Ramos, just one stroke behind the leader after 54 holes, collapsed under final-round pressure. Bogeys on his first three holes, followed by four more down the stretch, led to a disappointing 79, dropping him to fifth place at 301.
Albin Engino carded a 74 to finish tied for sixth at 303 alongside Tony Lascuña (75) and Jeffren Lumbo (77). Chon Koo Kang and Russell Bautista shared ninth at 304 after shooting 74 and 75, respectively.
Que’s victory was hard-earned. After opening with a 77 to sit tied for 16th, he remained undeterred. Relying on experience and strategic play, he climbed the leaderboard with rounds of 74 and 72.
Entering the final 18 holes, he trailed van der Valk by two strokes in the PHP2 million championship event sponsored by ICTSI.
Que gained early momentum in the final round, cutting the deficit to one stroke after just three holes as van der Valk bogeyed the par-3 No. 3 for a second straight day.
That stumble foreshadowed another tough finish for van der Valk, while Que seized the opportunity.
Battling gusty winds and humid conditions, Que balanced his round, offsetting two bogeys with two birdies before adding another on No. 9.
Despite the challenging Faldo layout, known for its unpredictable greens, Que’s five-over total proved enough for victory – an impressive feat given the demanding conditions.
