CARMONA, Cavite—Thailand’s Mookharin Ladgratok birdied three of the last five holes to cap a five-under-par 66 yesterday and seize a one-shot lead over Chihiro Ikeda and two others after the first round of the Manila Southwoods Ladies Classic at Southwoods’ Legends course.
The 21-year-old Ladgratok picked up shots on the 14th, 16th and 17th holes on the way to nines of 33-33 under perfect conditions over the 6,048-yard par-71 course.
Ikeda turned in a 67 despite a bogey on the 17th and settled for a three-way tie for second with another Thai, Wannasiri Sirisampan, and Korean amateur Hwang Min-jeong.
Southwoods hope Yuka Saso matched Thai Piyathida Ployumsri 69 to be in joint fifth in the 54-hole tournament, the final leg of an eight-stage circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Hwang, already the winner at Mt. Malarayat where she upstaged the absent Cyna Rodriguez and top Filipino amateur Princess Superal, birdied four holes coming in to stay in touch with Ladgratok.
But it was Sirisampant who showed the way early for the field as she went out with a 31 spaiked by a pitched-in eagle on No. 8. She birdied Nos. 3, 5, 11 and 13 but dropped a shot on 10.
Sirisampant would have caught Ladgratok in the lead if not for her second bogey on 18.
“I like where I stand but I need to stay focused,” said Ikeda, the former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist who is still winless on the three-year-old ICTSI Philippine Ladies Golf Tour.
Another Thai, Saraporn Chamchoi, fired a 70 for solo seventh, one stroke clear of Lovelynn Guioguio, Korean Kim So-un and Thai Jaruport Palakawongnaayuttawa.
Filipino spearhead Sarah Ababa, runaway winner at LPGT Sherwood, struggled with her long irons and hobbled home with a one-over 72.