Lee Solaire Open golf champ

CANLUBANG, Laguna—Richard T. Lee, an athletically built 23-year-old Canadian with downright Asian features, was unshakeable when the elements were at their worst yesterday and finally broke through as a pro by ruling the $300,000 Solaire Open.

In a final round at The Country Club here where howling winds blew the fancied title contenders all over the place—including Filipino leaders Angelo Que and Miguel Tabuena—Lee gutted out a two-under-par 69 to nip Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand for his first win.

“I’m very happy,” said Lee after watching the Thai, who shot a 70, flub a chance of forging a playoff by missing a birdie try from about 35 feet on the 18th. “This is special and gratifying because of how tough the course played.”

Lee broke out of his tie with Plaphol on the 15th. After a huge drive, Lee set up a 9-iron from 148 yards against the wind before draining a slightly downhill 25-foot putt for the birdie that eventually gave him a 277 total.

A final-day shakeup took place early that left Que and Tabuena—1-2 overnight—finishing way off the pace after the duo suffered a spate of misadventures one after the other starting from Que’s 12 on the par-5 second hole.

That was the worst score for Que in a hole in his pro career, and the 82 was his fattest ever at TCC. He hobbled home tied for 21st at 286.

“That’s golf,” Que said, still wearing his jovial smile (See related story below).

The 19-year-old Tabuena found himself on the driver’s seat after the disaster on No. 2 that befell Que, only to drop four straight shots from No. 5 and lose a grip on the lead. He finished at 281 after signing for a 76.

“It’s still a good week for me, despite what happened,” Tabuena said. “I still finished in the Top 10—the first time for me on the Asian Tour—and I hope to build on this.”

Clyde Mondilla closed out with a 73 and tied Tabuena and Andrew Dodt of Australia (70) for seventh spot in the event sponsored by Solaire Resorts and Casino and backed by DMCI Homes, BDO, PLDT and Meralco.

Spain’s Carlos Pigem fired a 69 and was third, another stroke behind Plaphol, with Masahiro Kawamura of Japan shooting a 65 to catch Englishman Steve Lewton (67) and American Paul Peterson (69) in fourth at 280.