Mafy Singson is looking at a career turning point: A victory right on her very first professional tournament. At home.
She rode on a four-birdie burst in recovering from an otherwise so-so round to score a 72 and gain a two-stroke lead with just a round left in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Apo Golf Classic Wednesday.
Fighting the winds almost all day and scoring four-over after 12 rounds, Singson unleashed a fiery finish — highlighted by three straight birdies from 13th — to gather 145.
That was two strokes clear of erstwhile leader Sarah Ababa and four ahead of another hot-streaking player, Mikha Fortuna.
“This is my home course, so obviously I want to do well,” Singson said.
“But then it’s also the home course of a few other players, so I have to keep that in mind as well.”
That includes Ababa who just might pull a late surprise. But hounding them in the final 18 holes is Fortuna, the reigning Match Play Invitational champion.
Ababa dropped to second with a 75 for a 147. The local ace appeared headed to retaining the lead she yielded Fortuna after a birdie on No. 13.
But the Oklahoma University alum wavered with four bogeys in the first seven holes at the back and fell behind. She matched Singson’s birdie on the 17th to finish with a 76 for third at 149.
“I need a lot of patience and hope to play well,” Singson said.
Singson is no stranger to success on the LPGT, having secured titles at Splendido Taal in 2022 and at Valley Golf last year while playing as an amateur.
She bogeyed No. 2, flubbed a tricky birdie-putt from short range on the next, bogeyed Nos. 5, 9 and 12 for the second straight time.
But she dominated the par-5 No. 13, also for the second consecutive day, and birdied the next two, both side-hillers, before gaining another stroke on the par-3 17th to complete her fiery windup for a 39-33.
Multi-titled Chanelle Avaricio remained at fourth despite a birdie-less 78 but stood way behind Singson at 153 while Rev Alcantara matched par-72 to tie Harmie Constantino, who faltered with a 79, at fifth at 155.
After a first-round 83, Alcantara mounted her comeback with birdies on Nos. 16, 17 and 3, but she struggled at the finish, bogeying Nos. 4, 6 and 8 for a 38-34.
Miya Legaspi pooled a 156 after a 78, Laurea Duque also submitted a six-over card for a 157, and rookie pro Lois Kaye Go made a 78 for joint ninth at 159 with reigning Order of Merit winner Daniella Uy, who continued to struggle with an 82 after a 77.
