INQUIRER Sports

CARMONA, CAVITE -- Lydia Ivana Jaya shot a two-under-par 70 Thursday and, with a three-stroke lead, seemed headed to becoming the first Indonesian winner of the RP Ladies Open championship.

The 23-year-old Jakarta ace, who is planning to join the LPGA qualifying late this year, posted a two-round total of 138 at the Legends course of the Manila Southwoods. She loomed as the second straight foreign champion here after Yapaporn Kawinpakorn of Thailand.

Jaya?s main challenger going into Friday?s final 18 holes is the Philippines? Chihiro Ikeda, who missed gaining ground after dropping shots in the last two holes for another 70.

The Filipino-Japanese teener, a member of the silver medal-winning RP squad in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last month, stood second at 141, with the next player, Fil-American Christina Corpus, seven shots behind at 145.

Corpus fired a 71 to gain third by one shot over Malaysian Amanda Chin, who also had a 71.

Cyna Rodriguez, just two down after a 70 Wednesday, stumbled to a 77 and was out of it at 147, in a tie with Lora Roberto, who had a 75.

The 16-year-old Rodriguez opened and closed her round with bogeys, canned two birdies but threw that away with a fat 6 on the par-4 15th.

Anya Tanpinco played even worse, limping home with a 78 for 149 after finishing bogey-bogey-birdie-double bogey.

Just as disappointing was Kawinpakorn, who was overpowering in her win last year. After her opening-round 79, she returned an 80 this time to drop out of the top half of the field with 159.

Regina De Guzman matched par to join Tanpinco and three foreigners at 149.

Jaya, a graduate of the John Robert Powers school in Jakarta, had four birdies against two bogeys in a 34-36 card. She played steadily for someone playing the game for just four years.

While Ikeda missed the last two greens for bogeys, Jaya was in complete control and looked ready to nail the first of two titles in her self-imposed timeline before turning pro later in the year.

?I was not really keeping score,? Jaya, who sees her Kiwi coach just once a week for the last 18 months, said. ?I just want to hit as many fairways and greens as possible.?

Jaya, the holder of the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesian national titles, and Ikeda are the only players under par as the fast greens and the strong winds sent most scores soaring.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), Philippine Sports Commission, San Miguel Corp. and Nike Golf are the event?s major sponsors. Balls, TNT Express, Inquirer Golf/Golf Digest, Callaway Golf, Bailey?s, Philippine Duplicators, HSBC, Chemapp, Bug Buster, Butuan Hospital, EEI Corp. and Tipco are minor sponsors. Live updates are available at pilipinasgolf.com.

The leading scores:

138 -- L. Jaya (Ind) 68-70; 141 -- C. Ikeda 71-70; 145 -- C. Corpus (US) 74-71; 146 -- A. Chin (Mas) 75-71; 147 -- L. Roberto 72-75, C. Rodriguez 70-77; 149 -- A. Tanpinco 71-78, D. Mak (HK) 73-76, Y.K. Woo (Kor) 73-76, R. de Guzman 77-72; 150 -- N. Ajira (Tha) 76-74; 151 -- B. Mendoza 73-78; 152 -- Y. Kwon (Kor) 73-79, L. Guioguio 76-76, G. Mak, (HK) 77-75, S. Baraquiel 77-75; 154 -- J.H. Lee (Kor) 73-81, B. Thanuttra (Tha) 75-79; 155 -- I. Gabasa 76-79, S. Ababa 77-78