Chinese-Taipei’s Hsuan Chen at ICTSI Luisita Ladies International. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Foreigners dominated the first round of the $100,000 ICTSI Luisita Ladies International on Tuesday, with Chinese-Taipei’s Hsuan Chen shooting a four-under-par 68 to lead a Thai by one and only three Filipinos managing to slide in the top 10, with Princess Superal and Harmie Constantino not among them.
Scorching heat and the unpredictable greens of picturesque Luisita Golf in Tarlac failed to slow down the foreign charge as another Taiwanese and a total of five Thais were within three shots off Chen, a 5-year pro seeking a breakthrough win.
“My driver and irons were consistent, but I struggled with my putting because of the changing nature of the greens,” Chen said after piecing together a 35-33 effort that had six birdies against two bogeys, the last of them coming on No. 18. “Some (of the greens) were fast, others slow, making it difficult to find a consistent rhythm.”
READ: Superal, Constantino banner PH challenge as Luisita Ladies tees off
Thailand’s Queen Missom-Us fired a 69 to be a stroke behind, with countrywomen Punpaka Phuntumabamrung and Budsabakorn Sukapan and Taipei’s Chin Yun-Wu shooting 70s to be another stroke back.
PH trio three off
Sarah Ababa, Florence Bisera and Pamela Mariano shot 71s to be three behind, as Superal struggled to a 74 and Constantino, the champion of the last two legs of the LPGT, settling for a level 72 to be four behind in the 54-hole championship.
After triumphs in the Rancho Palos Verdes and Caliraya Springs legs, Constantino was labeled as the spearhead of the PH challenge here. But she had a lukewarm one-birdie, one-bogey effort and would need a big second round to avoid a deep hole. Constantino’s only bogey came on the closing hole.
While the heat slowed down a lot in the talented field, Missom-Us said that it didn’t bother her one bit. The 20-year-old had five birdies on a 34-35 card.
“It’s even hotter back home,” she said. “I’m feeling pretty good about my game overall. My focus is to maintain this level of performance and translate it into strong results over the next two rounds.”
Only six Filipinos will start Wednesday’s second round inside the top 22, as Superal dropped three shots in a two-hole span from No. 15 for a 38-36 effort.