Ikeda extends lead to three

Chihiro Ikeda blew a two-under par card on a windy day and settled for an even par 71 but hiked her lead to three after two rounds of play in the Singapore Junior Golf Championships at the Bukit Golf Club in Singapore late Wednesday.

Ikeda, the reigning RP Ladies Open champion who showed the way with a 73 Tuesday, fumbled with missed green bogeys on her way home on Nos. 5 and 9, negating her back-to-back birdies from No. 13 for that 71 and a 36-hole aggregate of 144.

But that proved enough to give her a three-shot lead over ICTSI teammate Louise Manalo who struggled with a birdie-less 73 for a 147 while another stroke back at 148 was Cyna Rodriguez, who failed to recover from a four-over card after nine holes and wound up with a second straight 74.

With the Class A (16-19 years old) division title secured, Sarah Ababa stayed on course for a double victory for the ICTSI bets as she remained tied for the lead in the 13-15 category at 149 after a 75.

T. Suchaya of Thailand matched Ababa’s four-over card while England’s Charlotte Thomas joined the duo at the helm by carding a three-over 74.

Tonton Asistio, meanwhile, failed to sustain a one-under card at the back, double-bogeying No. 1 and finishing with a one-over par 72 for a 145 to stay three shots behind local bets Joshua Sho (75) and Johnson Po, who gained a piece of the lead at 142 after a 74 in the boys’ 16-19 group.

Art Arbole also made a 72 and stood in eighth place with a 149 while Brent Sumampong hobbled with a 77 for a 150 for ninth and BJ Miñoza had a second straight 78 for joint 18th at 156.