MANILA, Philippines - Anya Tanpinco and Andie Unson matched par 72s to trail leader Inez Putri Chandra of Indonesia at the start of the Thailand Ladies Amateur Open at the Royal Gems Golf Club in Bangkok, Thailand late Monday.
Tanpinco, the former two-time national champion, mixed three birdies with the same number of bogeys while Unson, 15, toughened up with two scrambling pars in the last six holes to salvage joint fifth place at the start of the 54-hole tournament featuring the region’s leading amateurs.
Chandra, veteran of the SEA Games, fired a four-under 68 to share the opening round honors with local bet Jenny Paveenuch as they posted a two-stroke lead over Yupaporn and Thidapa, also of Thailand.
But while Tanpinco and Unson dished out a pair of respectable games, the other members of the ICTSI golf team struggled at the 6,800-yard, hazard-laden layout with Sarah Ababa and Lovelynn Guioguio limping with 75s.
Chihiro Ikeda, the gold medalist in the last SEA Games, skied to a bogey-riddled five-over 77 while Sheryl Villacencio skied to an 84.