Sarah Ababa birdied the 16th hole yesterday to salvage a level par 72 and grab a two-stroke lead over Korean amateur Hwang Min-jeong and faltering first-round leader Chihiro Ikeda going into Thursday’s final 18 holes of the ICTSI Sherwood Ladies Invitational.
With the fancied Cyna Rodriguez again failing to contend with a 78, Ababa moved within another brilliant round of a breakthrough triumph.
After opening with a 73, Ababa now has a 145 total over the ravine-laden layout with Hwang also putting herself in contention to becoming just the second amateur to win on tour with a 147 after a 74.
“I just went out there and played my game,” said Ababa, who finished six strokes behind Rodriguez at Riviera last month.
“I actually struggled in the last few holes and made bogeys but sank a long putt on No. 16 to keep me going,” Ababa said.
Ikeda, the former amateur ace who is still winless as a pro, struggled with a back nine 40 for a 76 to fall into a tie with Hwang even as another Korean, Kim So-un, carded a 77 to catch the veteran Anya Tanpinco at 153.
Tanpinco fired a 78 to stay a stroke ahead of Rodriguez, who only had one birdie in a 40-38 effort that practically extinguished her bid to win back-to-back titles.
Another pre-tournament favorite, Amolkan Phalajivin of Thailand fired an 84 and was out of it with a 160 total. Musong R. Castillo