Anya moves to 3rd; Ikeda rallies

MANILA, Philippines - Anya Tanpinco moved up from joint fifth to solo third with a second straight 72 but fell farther behind by seven strokes as local bet Yupaporn Kawinpakorn sizzled with a five-under 67 to grab the lead in the second round of the Thailand Ladies Amateur Open at the Royal Gems Golf Club in Bangkok late Wednesday.

Tanpinco, mainstay of the ICTSI golf squad, made three birdies on Nos. 1, 9 and 18 to negate her bogeys on Nos. 4, 12 and 14 as she assembled a 144, seven shots behind Kawinpakorn’s 137. First day leader Jenny Paveenuch, also of Thailand, slid to second with a 140 after a 72.

Chihiro Ikeda, who beat Kawinpakorn in the third playoff hole to bag the gold medal in last year’s SEA Games in Laos, recovered from a woeful 77 with a brilliant, eagle-spiked four-under par 68 as she gained a share of fourth with Juraporn (73) at 145.

Ikeda, a former winner of this event, birdied No. 2 then made a pitch-in eagle on the par-4 No. 4 before holing out with another birdie on No. 9. She dropped a stroke on No. 11 but closed out with another birdie to complete a 32-36 round.

Sarah Ababa fired a one-under 71 for a 146 while Andie Unson, tied with Tanpinco in fifth in the first day, wavered wit a 75 and slid to 147. Lovelynn Guioguio had a 151 after a 76 while Sheryl Villacencio had a 159 after a 75.