Thai leads Ababa by 2
CHAMCHOI Saraporn of Thailand settled for an even par 72 after a bogey on the last hole yesterday but still took a two-stroke lead over Sarah Ababa at the start of the ICTSI Luisita Ladies Challenge at the tough Luisita course in Tarlac.
A runner-up at the Splendido and Wack Wack legs of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, Chamchoi bolstered her bid for a breakthrough win with a 1-under 35 on the front nine before closing with a 37 as she finished with the second of her two bogeys for the day.
Ababa, the winner last month at the LPGT Sherwood, matched the front-nine 35 of Chamchoi but could only check in with a 74 after stumbling with three bogeys, the last on the tough par-3 17th hole.
The tournament favorite with Cyna Rodriguez and Chihiro Ikeda missing the event, Ababa found herself also being pressed by a slew of foreign challengers going into the last two days of the 54-hole event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
American Cristina Corpus, who has had a series of forgettable finishes in the early going of the ICTSI-sponsored circuit, also turned in a 35 after nine holes on a hot, humid day but bogeyed the first two holes at the back then dropped two more strokes on Nos. 16 and 17 to finish with a 75.
Amolkan Phalijivin and Pattaranakrueang Supakchaya also submitted 75s and Satarak Walailak carded a 76 as the Thais threatened to dominate the P500,000 tournament.
Amolkanhad nines of 38-37 and Pattarankrueang closed with a 40 after a 35.
The best-placed Filipinos after Ababa were Lina de Guzman and Lovelynn Guioguio with 78s.
De Guzman hardly recovered from a bogey-marred 41 start with a 37. Guioguio was one over after 12 holes but made three straight bogeys from No. 13 then dropped two strokes on the 16th.
Jayvie Agojo also failed to check an early skid of 43 and limped home with an 80 in a tie with Apple Fudolin.
Chamchoi braces for a shootout with Ababa and Amolka in today’s second round of the event backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers, Sharp and Champion Infinity.
