The second round of the IOA Golf Classic was suspended for the day due to weather and unplayable course conditions but not before Abby Arevalo made her move at the Alaqua Country Club in Longwood, Florida on Saturday.
After completing her first round on 1-over-par 72, Arevalo caught fire in the morning to shoot a 65 that vaulted her into a temporary share of ninth place on 5-under.
“I’m putting well. I think I figured out how to read the greens today, so I’m really confident and feel good,” said the 24-year-old Filipina.
“I was following a mantra today of canceling the noise and embracing the chaos. There were so many things going on yesterday — we didn’t finish the last four holes, there was a weather delay, so we had to be patient, and it’s really hot. Today, I was just really staying in the moment.”
Arevalo missed five greens but did not make a single bogey while collecting six birdies.
Bianca Pagdanganan and Pauline del Rosario were the only other Filipinas who finished. She carded a 72.
Pagdanganan made four birdies against three bogeys and a double bogey on the par-5 third hole.
Del Rosario, on the other hand, was in danger of missing the cut on 5-over after a 74.
Dottie Ardina, one of three Filipinas stranded on the course, played only one hole — a birdie on 10 to get to 5-under.
Chanelle Avaricio and Clariss Guce were 1-over through five holes and 5-over for the tournament.
Before play was suspended, two players in the morning wave worked their way up the leaderboard and took a share of the lead.
Sophie Hausmann was the first of the two players tied at the top to get to 10-under for the tournament. The German carded eight birdies on the day and capitalized on her birdie on the 18th hole to be the first player to move to double digits for the tournament.
“I made two mistakes, and I paid for it right away,” Hausmann said. “I stayed aggressive and really trusted my game. I have been hitting really solid irons these days, and that’s really what I wanted to rely on. Then I was able to drop a few putts when I hit it close, so overall, it ended up in a 65.”
‘I was just hitting the ball well.’
Jenny Coleman would finish her day shortly after Hausmann came in with her 65. Coleman would match her with her own 65 and grab a share of the lead at -10. The 30-year-old had seven birdies in her second round, with her only hiccup coming on her third hole. After her bogey on hole 12, the California native would go bogey-free for her next 15 holes and add six birdies in that span.
“I was just hitting the ball well,” Coleman said. “Hitting some greens, giving myself some good birdie chances, making some shorter putts for birdie and making a couple of longer ones — those were really nice — otherwise, keeping the pars nice and steady.”
Arpichaya Yubol (-9) and Roberta Liti (-7) are in third and fourth place, respectively, and both still have 12 holes to play when play resumes Sunday.
