Agojo wavers, trails by 3 shots

MANILA, Philippines - Jayvie Agojo floundered coming home and settled for a one-under 71, falling farther behind by three shots to local bet Aretha Pan Herang in the second round of the Malaysian Amateur Open Golf Championship at the A’Famosa Golf Club’s Rocky Palm Course in Temaka, Malaysia late Saturday.

Agojo, one stroke off Herang in the first round, wrested control at the turn with a 34 and hung on to a one-shot lead with another birdie on No. 13. But she missed the green on the 15th and made a bogey then holed out with a three-putt bogey for a 37-71 and a 140.

Herang pounced on that Agojo’s shaky windup and birdied Nos. 16 and 17 to fire a 69 for a 137, two shots clear of new pursuer Chi Wang of Taiwan, who also shot a 69 for a 139.

Dottie Ardina, meanwhile, birdied two of the last four holes to salvage par 72 as the top ICTSI-backed bet climbed to fifth with a 143 but still stood six strokes behind heading into the final day of the 54-hole tournament.

Sunshine Baraquiel fired four birdies against two bogeys and carded a two-under 70 to move up to sixth at 144 while Chihiro Ikeda hardly recovered from a first round 75 with a 73 for a 148 while fellow ICTSI teammates Andie Unson and Sarah Ababa had 150s after a 74 and 76, respectively.

Lovelynn Guioguio, winner of last week’s Sarawak Am Open, dropped out of contention with an awful 83 for a 155.

Meanwhile, Ardina and Unson pooled a 146 and finished third in the ladies team international event behind winner Hsin En Tsui and Chi Wang of Taiwan, who had a 140 and 280 while Malaysians Iman Ahmad Nordin and Isza Ismail made a 293 after a 144 for second.

In men’s play, Jobim Carlos blew a solid 68-71 performance in the first two rounds with a three-over 75, slipping to joint fifth with Thai Natipong Srithong (73) at 214, 11 strokes off Chieh Po Lee of Taiwan, who posted a two-stroke lead over Danie Bringolf of Australia with a 203.

Bringolf turned in a 67 after back-to-back 69s for a 205 while Abhijt Chadha of India made a 69 for a 210 and Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand had a 212 after a 69.