Thai cards 69, leads Ardina, Korean by 1
Thai Pavarisa Yoktuan emerged from the shadows of her more illustrious compatriots to seize early control in the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Classic, shooting a three-under 69 and wresting a one-stroke lead over Dottie Ardina and Korean amateur Kim Hee Ji at the Splendido Taal Golf Club yesterday.
Yoktuan rode on a three-birdie binge from No. 9 and gunned down two more on Nos. 6 and 15 to negate her bogey mishaps on Nos. 8 and 13 and put her title bid in motion after an LPGT (Ladies Philippine Golf Tour)-best third place finish in last week’s ICTSI Eagle Ridge Ladies Invitational won by Chihiro Ikeda in a playoff.
Ardina actually looked headed for an explosive start and the early lead but the many-time LPGT winner blew a four-under card with bogeys on Nos. 16 and 18, dropping her instead to joint second at 70 with Kim, who also squandered an impressive 34 start with a shaky finish marred by a bogey on the last hole.
Another Thai bet, Thanuttra Boonraksasat bounced back from an opening hole bogey with three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 10 but dropped a stroke on No. 14 and settled for a 71 for solo fourth in the fourth leg of this year’s circuit sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., which drew 39 players.
Kanyalak Preedasuttijit and Chatprapa Siriprakob, also of Thailand, carded identical 73s while reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner Pauline del Rosario groped for form coming off a successful stint in the chilly China LPGA Tour Qualifying last week.