Que shoots 69, leads Tabuena

CANLUBANG, Laguna—Slowing down a tad in the latter half of Saturday’s third round, Angelo Que settled for a two-under-par 69 and a one-shot lead over fellow Filipino star Miguel Tabuena heading into the final 18 holes of the $300,000 Solaire Open.

Que played the final nine at level for the first time in three days, no thanks to a misjudged punch shot with a 6-iron from 150 yards for his approach on the 18th that led to a bogey and a 204 aggregate over the demanding The Country Club layout here.

Tabuena shot a 70 and fell out of a share of the lead at 205.

The 19-year-old , however, said that he accomplished what he set out to do yesterday—give himself a chance to win his first Asian Tour title and lay the ghosts of the 2012 Philippine Open to rest.

Wang Jeung-hun, a Korean being coached military-style by his father and who was the Philippine Am champion four years ago, zoomed into contention after a bogey-free 68 to be at 206.

Clyde Mondilla also put himself into the mix by coming to within just four in the event sponsored by Solaire Resorts and Casino and backed by DMCI Homes, BDO, PLDT and Meralco.

Mondilla, a long-hitter from Bukidnon like Frankie Miñoza, was also flawless in shooting a 67 as he caught Akinori Tani of Japan, Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand and Canadian Richard Lee at 208 after the trio fired 67, 68 and 70, respectively.

No other Filipino is within eight shots of the lead as Zannie Boy Gialon scrambled to post a 74 for 212, tied with three foreign bets, including the seasoned Prom Meesawat of Thailand who submitted a 72.

For Que, this will mark just the third time in his pro career that he is headed into the final round holding the lead, and memories of the first aren’t pretty at all.

The leading scores: (Filipino unless stated)
204 – A. Que 70-65-69; 205 – M. Tabuena 67-68-70; 206 – Wang JH (KOR) 71-67-68; 208 – C. Mondilla 71-70-67, A. Tani (JPN) 69-72-67, C. Plaphol (THA) 68-72-68, R. Lee (CAN) 68-70-70; 210 – S. Cyr (USA) 72-69-69, D. Lipsky (USA) 71-68-71, S. Griffiths (ENG) 70-69-71, C. Pigem (ESP) 69-70-71, M. Griffin (AUS) 68-69-73; 211 – S. Brazel (AUS) 66-75-70, A. Dodt (AUS) 70-71-70, N. Cullen (AUS) 68-73-70, S. Rahman (BAN) 70-70-71, P. Peterson (USA) 72-68-71, B. Easton (RSA) 69-68-74; 212 – T. Khongphra (THA) 72-70-70, P. Meesawat (THA) 69-71-72, Z. Gialon 68-70-74, J. Janewattanond (THA) 70-72-71