Chamchoi rides five birdies to 1-shot lead

LIPA City—Thailand’s Saraporn Chamchoi gunned down five birdies to shoot a four-under-par 68 and take a one-shot lead over Marvi Monsalve and two other Thais after the rain-hit opening round of The Women’s Championship at Summit Point here.

Monsalve also had five birdies but had two bogeys in carving out a 68 for the finest tournament start of her young pro career even as Chihiro Ikeda returned a 72 to be two strokes off in the P1.5 million event.

Yupaporn Kawinpakorn and Onkanok Soisuwan were tied with Monsalve with former three-time Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez shooting a 71 like amateur LK Go to stay firmly in the hunt.

“The two rain delays kind of slowed me down,” said Monsalve.