Ikeda jumps to 6-shot lead with 68; Go in control in men’s side with 66
CHIHIRO IKEDA broke away from what had been a fierce, tight battle with a blazing backside finish that netted her a 68 to stay six strokes clear of Harmie Constantino and amateur Mikha
Fortuna after two rounds of the
International
Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Eagle Ridge at Aoki Invitational in General Trias, Cavite, on Thursday.
Unable to shake off first round co-leaders Constantino and Sarah Ababa in a fierce frontside skirmish, the Filipino-japanese cranked up her game heading home, birdying the two par-5s and adding Nos. 13 and 15 while saving a couple of par putts for that scorching 32 and a 68.
With a 139 total and a huge lead, Ikeda moved 18 holes from nailing her second Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) victory this year after posting a three-stroke romp at Mt. Malarayat while battling wrist injury last May.
“Happy to be on top but it’s tough at the front nine because of the pin positions,” said Ikeda, who after stopping Chanelle Avaricio in Lipa, struggled for joint fifth at Splendido
Taal ruled by ICTSI amateur Mafy Singson before bouncing back to tie for second at Pradera Verde topped by Avaricio last month.
Despite the big gap, the Manila Southwoods and Asiaglobal Technologies-backed ace remains wary of her chances in this seventh leg of this year’s LPGT, saying:’ I hope to settle down and play steady tomorrow (Friday).”
GO GRABS LEAD WITH 66
LLOYD GO thrived in tough conditions, producing a near-impeccable six-under 66 to storm past Angelo Que by two halfway through the men’s contest that saw the fall of a slew of early frontrunners and the rise of a mix of bidders.
On target all day with a superb iron play that set up a number of tap-in birdie chances on Aoki’s undulating, sleek surface
that bedeviled the games of majority of the field, Go flourished with seven birdies to negate a three-putt miscue on the par-three No. 7 as the former national champion charged from joint fifth to the top with a nine-under 135.
“I’ve been working on my (mid) irons for quite some time, so coming into this event, I was kind of confident,” said the former Seton Hall U standout, who topped the Philippine Golf Tour Q-school in 2018 but has opted to vie in the other regional tours to toughen up.
He rallied to earn a share of fifth at Splendido Taal last month on a closing 66, which he duplicated here at Aoki, which yielded to Go’s awesome form but bit back at some, including Que, who found the going a lot tougher and saved a 70 after kicking off his bid with a leadsharing 67 in his first PGT foray since March last year, also here.