RP ladies slip to seventh spot in Sirikit Cup

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines succumbed to pressure and fumbled with a six-over 154, tumbling down to seventh from third place in a terrible slide that all but dashed its hopes for a decent finish in the Queen Sirikit Cup in Bali, Indonesia late Thursday.

Chihiro Ikeda, awesome with a four-under 70 in the first round, was awful with a three-over 77 at the par-74 Nirwana layout, dropping four strokes in the first seven holes in a birdie-less stint at the front for a 41. She made an eagle on the par-5 No. 15 but bogeyed the next for that 77.

Louise Manalo, who didn’t count with an 80 in the opening day, bogeyed the first four holes and went on to match Ikeda’s 77 and contribute to the team as Cyna Rodriguez skied to a 78 after a two-under 72 that anchored ICTSI-backed RP team’s rise to third place with a 142 Wednesday.

With a 36-hole haul of even-par 296, the RP ladies, whose campaign is sanctioned by the WGAP (Women’s Golf Association of the Phils.), slipped to seventh, 25 shots behind Korea heading into the final round of the 54-hole championship also known as the Asia-Pacific Ladies Invitational Golf Team Championship.

Korea, behind Jang Ha-na’s 68 and Kim Sei-young’s 66, braced for a title repeat as it sizzled with a 10-under 144 for a 271 and a whooping nine-shot lead over Chinese-Taipei, which had a 280 after a 141. Japan shot a 143 for third at 286 while China moved up to fourth with a 289 after a 143.

Team RP’s slide also enabled SEA rival Thailand to gain ground as the Thais grabbed a share of fifth with Australia (147) with a 146 for a 293.

Ikeda also dropped in the individual race from fourth to 10th with a 147, 12 shots behind Jang’s 147 while Rodriguez stood in No. 15 with a 150.