Flawless 70 gives Thai veteran 2-shot lead

LIPA City—Steady on a windy day, Thai veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn fired a two-under-par 70 on Thursday to seize a two-stroke lead over Marvi Monsalve, countryman Chonlada Chayanun and amateur LK Go going into the final round of the P1.5-million The Women’s Championship.

The champion at Beverly Place early this year, Kawinpakorn was flawless in a 35-35 effort for 139 with Monsalve shooting a 72, Chayanun a 69 and Go firing a 70 to stay well within striking distance of the title at picturesque Summit Point here.

First-round leader Saraporn Chamchoi, one of the big guns in the 21-strong Thai contingent, couldn’t do anything right and ballooned to an 80 that practically took her out of the title race, standing nine shots off the pace with 18 holes to play.

The fancied Pauline del Rosario is on the same boat after a second-round 76.

Chihiro Ikeda and Cyna Rodriguez fired a 73 and 72, respectively, to be at 143 with Onkanok Soisuwan shooting a 73 for 142.

“I had a good feel of the course,” said Kawinpakorn, who, like del Rosario, is also campaigning in Taiwan and China. “The wind was about the same when I was in China last week.”

Go, the Cebu Country Club standout now in a scholarship with University of South Carolina in the United States, gunned down all three of her birdies in the front nine and missed creeping closer with her only bogey coming on No. 13.