Chang, Saso set tight finish with Thai pro
Tzu-Yi Chang upstaged fancied Yuka Saso yesterday with a strong finishing kick to set up an interesting duel of amateurs with Thai pro Arpichaya Yubol making it a three-cornered fight to guarantee a thriller of a finish in the ICTSI Manila Golf Ladies Classic at the Manila Golf Club.
Chang came through with a superb combination of shots and capped her late charge with hot putting, producing four birdies in the last six holes at the front to shoot a six-under 65 as the Junior World veteran found herself a bewildered leader at 137.
“Very good. My putting, irons and short game were in place,” said Chang, who used just 26 putts, seven less than what she did in the previous round, to move 18 holes away from snaring the crown with a 137 in the $100,000 event serving as the seventh leg of the seventh season of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.
“The course has lots of slopes and you have to be extra careful to avoid getting into trouble,” added Chang after churning out a personal-best card on a par-71 layout. “I shot 66 twice in Taiwan but this one is like a 66 because the course is par-71.”
In contrast, Saso groped for putting form coming off a strong finish that spiked his lead-grabbing 67 Wednesday, ending up with 34 putts marred by a three-putt miscue on No. 14. She settled for a 71 to slip to second at 138 with Yubol, who missed joining Chang at the helm with a bogey on the ninth for a 68.
“I played good and enjoyed my game. That’s it,” said Saso, who however refused to predict what score she would need to reign again at MGC and record her third crown on the LPGT.
“I’m not concerned on what score to shoot but will just play and enjoy my game,” added Saso, who nevertheless hopes uncork another strong finish that has anchored her exploits in the past, including in the Philippine Ladies Amateur Open here at MGC last February.