Wichanee leads 1-2 Thai charge

Thailand’s Wichanee Meechai gunned down six birdies and went on to shoot a three-under-par 69 Wednesday to lead compatriot Pennapa Pulsawath by four strokes after the opening round of the ICTSI Ladies Splendido Invitational in Tagaytay.

A veteran of the Asian Ladies Tour, Wichanee stamped her class by submitting the day’s lone sub-par card even as top local hope Cyna Rodriguez skied to an uncharacteristic 80.

Sarah Ababa and Anya Tanpinco were the best-placed Filipinos after carding 74s, with Ababa throwing away a one-under card by finishing bogey-bogey-bogey.

Chihiro Ikeda, still searching for a breakthrough pro win, fired a 75, with defending champion Amolkan Phalajivin, also of Thailand, shooting a 77 to trail by eight shots.

Rodriguez opened up with a birdie but played shabbily from there, signing for a quintuple bogey 9 on No. 4 before dropping another shot on the next. It was her worst score since dominating the first two seasons of the Tour and winning the Order of Merit title. Musong R. Castillo