Angelo Que hopes to make the most of his rare PGT stint

Angelo Que takes a break from the Japan PGA Tour to join the title hunt in the ICTSI Forest Hills Championship, seeking a second leg victory on the local circuit, which resumes next week at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club in Antipolo.

Que routed the field to win the ICTSI Anvaya Cove Invitational for the second time in three years before he moved to Japan to campaign against some of the world’s best. The long-hitting shotmaker turned in two Top 10 finishes in nine tournaments, including a joint fifth place effort at the JGT Championship Mori Cup in Ibaraki two weeks ago.

That should prime up the former three-time Asian Tour winner for the P3 million event sponsored by ICTSI set June 21-24 where he is expected to slug it out with two-leg winner Clyde Mondilla, Manila Masters champion Tony Lascuña and recent Calatagan leg titlist Zanieboy Gialon, among others.

Also in the fold are Jay Bayron, Elmer Salvador, Mars Pucay, Jhonnel Ababa, Cassius Casas, Ferdie Aunzo, Jerson Balasabas, Jun Bernis, Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Anthony Fernando, Mhark Fernando, Rey Pagunsan, Joenard Rates and Orlan Sumcad.

Jobim Carlos, Ira Alido, Keanu Jahns, John Kier Abdon and Justin Quiban, meanwhile, make up the young guns cast out to topple the veteran campaigners in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

A slew of foreign players are also in the early roster of 73 players chasing the top P550,000 purse, including Dutch Guido Van der Valk, Macedonian Peter Stojanovski, Japanese Yuta Sudo, Korean Park Jun Sung, American Nicolas Paez and Aussie Jason Dawes.

Van der Valk, Stojanovski and Paez have contended for the crown with strong starts in previous legs but couldn’t pull it off with shaky finishes although they hope to finally unleash one next week at the rolling, wind-swept Forest Hills layout.

But focus will be on Que, who is expected to make the most of his rare stint in the local circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf and score a follow-up to his nine-stroke romp over Japanese Toru Nakajima at Anvaya last February.

With his skills and talent honed up in the tough Japan PGA, Que looms as the player to beat this early although the other local aces will all be coming into the event battle ready, guaranteeing another wild finish in the 72-hole championship.

The event, the eighth leg of this year’s circuit, also serves as a prelude to the fifth staging of The Duel, which pits the top players from the North and South in a Ryder Cup-style format set July 5-7 at Camp John Hay Golf Club in Baguio.