ANTIPOLO CITY — Chihiro Ikeda took charge with a birdie start and hung on to the lead despite a gut-wrenching run of bogeys for a 74 as the rest tripped at the finish in both sides of Valley South after 18 holes of the Ladies ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge on Tuesday.
As Harmie Constantino groped for form in a birdie-less round of 76, Ikeda banked on her fine start and conservative play that kept her on top to the finish despite bogeys on 3, 14 and 18 at the demanding up-and-down layout.
“I just tried not to be too aggressive since the course is difficult,” said Ikeda, who opened a one-stroke lead over Florence Yvon Bisera, Martina Minoza and Daniella Uy.
Constantino, despite her four-over start, stayed in the thick of things at joint fifth with Korean amateur Min Yeong Kim.
Bisera also hit an early birdie on 11 in a backside start but made three bogeys in a four-hole stretch from and yielded another stroke on 6. But she tied Ikeda with a birdie on 7 only to fall behind again with another bogey on the tough par-3 No. 8.
“I missed a couple of par putts from short range at the front so I have to stay focused tomorrow and try to hit more fairways and greens,” Bisera said.
Miñoza also shot two birdies but made a couple of three-putts, including one that led to a double-bogey on 16.
Sarah Ababa and Gretchen Villacencio also stayed in the race with 75s while top amateur Lois Kaye Go failed to rebound from a backside 40 start as she bogeyed two of the last three holes for a 78.
Mikha Fortuna, meanwhile, turned in a not-so-encouraging pro debut as she wound up with a 79 marred by four straight bogeys from 4. She parred the next four holes but dropped more strokes on 12, 15 and 16 and ended up without a bogey in a 40-39 round.
Joining the Oklahoma University product at 10th, five strokes off Ikeda, are Monica Mandario, Pamela Mariano, Korean Ju Young Yang, and amateurs Mafy Singson and Jiwon Lee, also of Korea.
