Baraquiel, Lee force four-way tie at helm

CARMONA, Cavite – Sunshine Baraquiel shone in a windy day here at the Manila Southwoods’ Legends course, sharing the lead with Louise Manalo, Maan Legaspi and Korean Lee Jeong-hwa, firing 73 at the start of the ICTSI-Philippine Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship at the wind-raked Manila Southwoods’ Legends Course here yesterday.

Baraquiel used a near-impeccable short game to overcome a day-long struggle with her driver as she saved pars seven times although she failed to rescue one on the final hole from 10 feet for a bogey after she drove into the fairway trap and dumped her approach shot on the greenside bunker for a 37-36 round.

That paved the way for what could be the most closely-fought RP Ladies Open start in years with Manalo blowing a superb start for a 34-39, Legaspi missing the solo lead with two bogeys on the last four holes for a 36-37, and Lee wasting a two-under card after 13 holes with a double-bogey on the par-5 14th before winding up with a 35-38 round.

With Dottie Ardina, Lora Roberto and Korean Yang Jeong-da lurking behind with three-over 75s and three others – Irina Gabasa, Shine Lee of Korea and Choi Sinhyo – another stroke farther back at 76, a wide open race for the championship loomed in the 54-hole event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines (WGAP).

“A lot of people expect me to do well here being a Southwoods player. But my driving was awful and it’s good that I made some good recovery shots,” said Baraquiel, who knocked down two four-footers for birdies on Nos. 4 and 15 for a 37-36 round.

She headed straight to the range to tinker with her driving, hoping to come up with a more solid stint on the mound today in a bid to give herself a good shot at the championship in the event backed by San Miguel, PSC, Pagcor and Nike.

The event is supported by HSBC, Zenorex, De Capricho Jewellers, Chemical Applicators, Baileys, Bug Buster, RCBC, Bingo Bonanza, Titleist, Pancake House, Rapide, Callaway, Inquirer Golf, Skycable Platinum, Balls, Lifestyle Network, Metro Society, Dunkin’ Donuts and Working Mom.

Manalo bucked a wind-blown stint at the front with a two-under card but made two three-putts in the first three holes at the back, dropped another shot on the 17th and wound up with a 39 for a 73 that nevertheless stood as the best among the ICTSI bets in a day of floundering fortunes on the sleek putting surface of the bunker-laden layout.

“Except for my two three-putts, I really didn’t expect to shoot this good,” said the 16-year-old Manalo, also a member of last year’s Queen Sirikit Cup team.

Majority of the starting 73-player field struggled under tough playing conditions, including Ardina who missed joining Manalo at the helm with a closing double-bogey on the par-4 18th. She had a 38-37.

The 15-year-old Ardina, on a break from her US studies at the IMG Academy at El Conquistador, Florida, made a tap-in birdie on the par-5 14th and looked headed for a respectable finish when she split the 18th fairway. But she mishit her approach shot from a muddied lie that landed in the greenside bunker.

Ikeda, who rallied from three strokes down to win the crown last year over Indon ace Lydia Ivana Jaya, will have a lot of catching up to this time as she fell in joint 13th with a 78 ruined by a double-bogey, bogey windup.

“I need to come up with a solid round to get into contention tomorrow (today),” said Ikeda, who had four other bogeys with only a birdie to show.

Lee Jeong-hwa, who lost the DHL Open crown to Ikeda in a playoff last year, teed off last but found herself on top with birdies on Nos. 2, 8 and 11 against a bogey on the fifth. But she fumbled with a double-bogey on the 14th and barely reached the final green in three.