Pucay-Que pair ends at 16th in World Golf Cup
11/30/2009 | 12:22 PM
Mars Pucay and Angelo Que of the Philippines booked a share of 16th place after combining for a final round three-under-par 69 and a 15-under 273 total in the $5.5-million Omega Mission Hills World Cup at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Dongguan, China.
Although bogey-free for the day, the Filipino duo ended their campaign without hoisting the title as they fell behind by 14 strokes off the Italian pair of Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, who shot their way to a thrilling victory over Ireland and Sweden.
Que, who will most likely defend his Philippine Open crown in two weeks, had a pretty decent week. He led the way for much of the competition but recognized the superb shot-making of the three mentioned international partnerships.
"We got beat. Mars and I will try to come back next year and win it all," Que said.
Italy, meanwhile, made World Cup history by winning it for the first time. It was made sweeter after it withstood a battle royale against Ireland and Sweden up to the very last hole of Mission Hills’ Olazabal course.
The Italians finished with a 259 tally and pocketed the $1.7-million champions’ purse.
The Molinari brothers combined perfectly to get up and down from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole to take the title by a single stroke on Sunday. Francesco fired a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway to set up Italy’s victory charge.
With Edoardo standing over his approach shot to the green, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson watched in agony as his 45-foot birdie putt to tie the Italians lipped out, leaving Italy needing a par four to create history – providing Ireland did not make birdie.
Edoardo pushed his approach into the bunker before Rory McIlroy gave Ireland one last chance, but Graeme McDowell could only watch on as his birdie attempt stayed above ground.
“It’s been a tough day and we have been playing against some of the best golfers in the world. It was really tough until the last, but it feels even better when it is like that," said Francesco.
Irish duo McIlroy and McDowell had stretched their overnight lead to three shots on the front nine, but failed to further advance their score on the way home and a final round two-under 70 for 260 was not enough to secure what would have been a wire-to-wire victory.
Sweden produced a gallant title defense as World No. 7 Stenson and Karlsson, who was beaten in a play-off by Edoardo last week in Japan, carded a final round three under par 69 and also a 260. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV
Although bogey-free for the day, the Filipino duo ended their campaign without hoisting the title as they fell behind by 14 strokes off the Italian pair of Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, who shot their way to a thrilling victory over Ireland and Sweden.
Final round scores (foursomes)
259 –ITALY 64-66-61-68
260 –SWEDEN 64-65-62-69
260 –IRELAND 58-68-64-70
262 –ENGLAND 66-69-63-64
266 –JAPAN 62-71-64-69
267 –AUSTRALIA 68-70- 62-67
268 –USA 67-72-67-62; GERMANY 66-71-66-65; WALES 66-68-64-70; KOREA 64-75-61-68; SOUTH AFRICA 65-70-62-71
271 –CHILE 69-67- 65-70; VENEZUELA 67-67-65-72
272 –DENMARK 66-70-66-70; INDIA 67-68-65-72
273 –THAILAND 67-70-67-69; PHILIPPINES (Mars PUCAY, Angelo QUE) 68-72-64-69; SINGAPORE 66-70-66-71
274 –ARGENTINA 61-75-64-74
276 –FRANCE 67-73-67-69; NEW ZEALAND 67-68-70- 71
277 –PAKISTAN 69-75-64-69; CHINESE TAIPEI 67-74-67-69; CHINA 65-71-68-73
279 –CANADA 64-74-65-76
280 –BRAZIL 68-75-68-69
281 –SPAIN 69-71-67-74
284 –SCOTLAND 69-73-64-78
“We came prepared but Italy, Ireland and Sweden showed the way this week. We’ve have had good scores for three days but that’s not how to win in the World Cup. A team must show consistency for 72 holes," Pucay told GMANews.TV via text message.259 –ITALY 64-66-61-68
260 –SWEDEN 64-65-62-69
260 –IRELAND 58-68-64-70
262 –ENGLAND 66-69-63-64
266 –JAPAN 62-71-64-69
267 –AUSTRALIA 68-70- 62-67
268 –USA 67-72-67-62; GERMANY 66-71-66-65; WALES 66-68-64-70; KOREA 64-75-61-68; SOUTH AFRICA 65-70-62-71
271 –CHILE 69-67- 65-70; VENEZUELA 67-67-65-72
272 –DENMARK 66-70-66-70; INDIA 67-68-65-72
273 –THAILAND 67-70-67-69; PHILIPPINES (Mars PUCAY, Angelo QUE) 68-72-64-69; SINGAPORE 66-70-66-71
274 –ARGENTINA 61-75-64-74
276 –FRANCE 67-73-67-69; NEW ZEALAND 67-68-70- 71
277 –PAKISTAN 69-75-64-69; CHINESE TAIPEI 67-74-67-69; CHINA 65-71-68-73
279 –CANADA 64-74-65-76
280 –BRAZIL 68-75-68-69
281 –SPAIN 69-71-67-74
284 –SCOTLAND 69-73-64-78
Que, who will most likely defend his Philippine Open crown in two weeks, had a pretty decent week. He led the way for much of the competition but recognized the superb shot-making of the three mentioned international partnerships.
"We got beat. Mars and I will try to come back next year and win it all," Que said.
Italy, meanwhile, made World Cup history by winning it for the first time. It was made sweeter after it withstood a battle royale against Ireland and Sweden up to the very last hole of Mission Hills’ Olazabal course.
The Italians finished with a 259 tally and pocketed the $1.7-million champions’ purse.
The Molinari brothers combined perfectly to get up and down from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole to take the title by a single stroke on Sunday. Francesco fired a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway to set up Italy’s victory charge.
With Edoardo standing over his approach shot to the green, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson watched in agony as his 45-foot birdie putt to tie the Italians lipped out, leaving Italy needing a par four to create history – providing Ireland did not make birdie.
Edoardo pushed his approach into the bunker before Rory McIlroy gave Ireland one last chance, but Graeme McDowell could only watch on as his birdie attempt stayed above ground.
“It’s been a tough day and we have been playing against some of the best golfers in the world. It was really tough until the last, but it feels even better when it is like that," said Francesco.
Irish duo McIlroy and McDowell had stretched their overnight lead to three shots on the front nine, but failed to further advance their score on the way home and a final round two-under 70 for 260 was not enough to secure what would have been a wire-to-wire victory.
Sweden produced a gallant title defense as World No. 7 Stenson and Karlsson, who was beaten in a play-off by Edoardo last week in Japan, carded a final round three under par 69 and also a 260. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV
