Chanelle Avaricio struggled against the winds and scrambled to a two-over-par 74, allowing Harmie Constantino to move within two shots going into the final round of the Pradera Verde Championship in Lubao, Pampanga Wednesday.
“I struggled on the greens with my club selection. I think nahirapan ako sa hangin at yun ang adjustment,” said Avaricio bogeyed three of the first six holes.
“I wasn’t hitting it close to the pin and I didn’t really give myself chance for birdies.”
The three-leg winner still held the lead on 141 but the seven-shot turnaround from her opening 67 typified the daunting challenge that the field had to endure.
Avaricio went straight to the practice green after her round.
Constantino fought back from a bogey on 4 with birdies on 6 and 12 for a second straight 71 and a 142 while Florence Bisera gunned down four birdies against two bogeys to wrest solo third on 143.
With Pamela Mariano also firing a 71 for a 145, a four-way battle for top P168,750 is in the works.
Constantino is hoping to sustain her consistent play.
“Everything else was pretty consistent and I will try to do the same thing tomorrow — hit more greens and make more putts,” she said.
Sunshine Baraquiel, the winner at Highlands last year, stayed close to the leaders with a two-birdie, one double-bogey card at the front. But she crumbled at the back, limping with four bogeys for a 76 and a 147 for joint fifth with Gretchen Villacencio, who carded a 74.
Apple Fudolin rebounded from a 76 with a gutsy 72 but on 148, she remained seven strokes off Avaricio.
Former Sherwood Hills leg winner Sarah Ababa and brand-new pro Kim Seoyun of Korea stumbled with 75 and 76, respectively, for identical 149s.
Amateur Mafy Singson, only three strokes behind in second after a 70, never recovered from a bogey-marred frontside 40, dropping another shot on 10 and making two double bogeys on 13 and 14.
She limped home with an 80 despite a birdie on 17 and tumbled to joint 10th on150 with Marvi Monsalve who had a 77.
