Thai takes lead, Saso still on top

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana fired a tournament-best five-under-par 67 and overhauled an imposing overnight deficit to zoom ahead by three over Yuto Katsuragawa going into today’s final 18 holes of the Philippine Amateur Open golf championship.

Kaewkanjana held sway on another windy day at Riviera’s Couples layout, while Katsuragawa faltered with a 75 to yield his two-round lead.

The Thai now has a 212 aggregate as the title boils down to a two-man race between Kaewkanjana and Katsuragawa, the 18-year-old playing out of Manila Southwoods in Carmona, Cavite.

Filipino-Japanese Yuka Saso, on the other hand, stayed firmly atop women’s play, shooting a 69 to pad an second round five-shot lead to an insurmountable 10 also with a round left to play.

Counting earlier rounds of 69 and 70, Saso now has a 208 tally with Harmie Constantino all but relinquishing her title with a 72 for 218. —Musong R. Castillo