Amateur leads Splendido by 1 over Rodriguez

Amateur Sofia Chabon buried a long birdie on the 16th hole to salvage an even par 71 yesterday and snatch a one-stroke lead over fancied Cyna Rodriguez at the start of the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Invitational at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Tagaytay.

Chabon, one of five mainstays of Team ICTSI in the event, nullified three bogeys with the same number of birdies, the last from around 20 feet that eventually lifted her past Rodriguez, who needed back-to-back birdies from No. 15 to save a 72 on the rolling 6,050-yard layout.

“My irons were great as two of my birdies were easy ones,” said Chabon, who had a tap-in on No. 2 and drilled in a 10-footer on the par-5 11th.

The 13-year-old Chabon, winner of this year’s Royal Selangor Juniors, is seeking to achieve what ICTSI teammate Pauline del Rosario had failed to do. Del Rosario, who is competing in the Asian Games with Princess Superal and Miya Legaspi, led Rodriguez by three in the first round at Eagle Ridge but faltered and settled for runner-up honors.

Rodriguez, who dominated the first and the last three legs of the circuit sponsored by International Container Terminals Services Inc., birdied the par-5 No. 1 but struggled in tough conditions on a hot, humid day.

“The course is short on paper but long when you play it,” said Rodriguez, the favorite in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Nike, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Team ICTSI mainstays Yuka Saso and Sam Martinez also moved in contention with identical two-over 73s with Thai Amolkan Phalajivin carding a 74.