Ikeda pads lead to 5 with fiery windup

MANILA, Philippines - Chihiro Ikeda made a birdie-eagle finish to salvage a two-over par 74 as she stretched her overnight lead from three to five in the second round of the Hong Kong Ladies Open Amateur Championship at the Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong late Thursday.

Ikeda, awesome with a 69 in the first round, sputtered with a bogey-marred round at the tough Diamond and Ruby nines and had a five over card going to the last two holes. But the 17-year-old former RP Ladies Open champion, a mainstay of the ICTSI golf team, rammed in a six-footer for birdie on No. 17 then chipped in for eagle on the last hole for that 74.

With a 143 aggregate, Ikeda posted a five-stroke lead over Hong Kong’s Tam Yik, who matched par 72 for a 148 while Stephanie Ho, also of Hong Kong, carded a 73 for a 149 heading to the final round of the 54-hole championship.

Anya Tanpinco, the other ICTSI bet in the fold, recovered with a 74 to move up to joint ninth at 155 but remained too far behind Ikeda.

But Tanpinco, who had four birdies and four saved pars, also pulled away in the Mid-Amateur competition with a nine-shot lead over Thailand’s Fiona Zimmerman, who had a 167 after an 82.

Daniella Uy, also of RP, made a 79 for a 161 while a stroke farther back at 162 was Marvi Monsalve, who skied to 83.