Que, Alido share one-shot lead at Valley

Angelo Que —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The seasoned Angelo Que and young Ira Alido took different routes in shooting four-under-par 68s on Tuesday to share a one-shot lead over four players as a mix of veterans and a rookie crowded the leaders after one round of the P2 million ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge at the complex’ South course in Antipolo.

Alido was flawless in churning out a couple of 34s over the tree-lined layout, while Que needed to drain a 30-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 closing hole to salvage a round that almost went south after consecutive bogeys from No. 14.

“I just wanted to make par [on 18],” Que said after a two on the 211-yard, uphill finishing hole which he reached with a 5-iron. “I guess I just hit the mark.”

Alido, meanwhile, looked like a machine on a steamy day, hitting fairways and greens to put himself in the mix early.

Zanie Boy Gialon, Reymon Jaraula, Justin Quiban and South Korea’s Chon Koo-kang returned 69s to be a shot ahead of a group led by Antonio Lascuña and rookie Gab Manotoc.

In ladies play, Chihiro Ikeda played just well enough, shooting a 74 for a one-stroke lead over Daniella Uy and two others, with Harmie Constantino, seeking a third straight win, firing a 76 at the start of their 54-hole championship.

Jonel Ababa, who won the PH Masters at Villamor in come-from-behind style two weeks ago, Din Villanueva and amateur Aidric Chan shot 71s to be three shots off heading into the second round as Que stressed the need to play it smart over the layout that penalizes errant shots.

“It’s inevitable [to make mistakes], because it’s tight and you have to be in play all the time,” said Que, whose front side 32 was spiked by an eagle 3 on No. 7. INQ