Fortuna keeps lead in world jungolf

SAN DIEGO, California – Mikhaella Fortuna hung on to the lead in the girls’ 11-12 class on an up-and-down even-par 73 at Rancho Bernardo Inn Wednesday while three Filipino lads made big charges in their respective divisions, putting the Philippines in a good position for another rich harvest of medals in the annual Junior World Golf Championships here.

Jed Dy, Kristoffer Arevalo and Aidric Jose Chan rallied to within striking distance of the leaders in their respective groups with brilliant second-round efforts despite strong winds blowing all over this seaside city all day.

Teeing off with the Torey Pines South gust at its peak in the afternoon, Fil-Am Rico Hoey barely salvaged an even-par 72 and dropped to second place, a stroke behind leader Jose Mendez of Costa Rica, halfway through the 72-hole play in the centerpiece 15-17 category.

The reigning champ threw away four strokes early on two bogeys and a double bogey in the first five holes but recovered at the backnine, thus matching par and standing at four-under 140 through 36 holes.

“The course just became a lot tougher with the winds and the difficult pin placement. Lahat ng bandera nasa likod na, nakagilid pa,” said Tommy Manotoc, the National Golf Association of the Philippines president.

Practically under the same condition at Rancho Bernardo Inn, Fortuna blew a two-under score on a double-bogey mishap on the par-5 12th. She knocked in a birdie on the 15th but reeled back with another bogey on the 17th to barely keep a one-stroke lead over Japanese Miyabi Tezuka (72-144).

Another Japanese was a stroke back at 72-145 while Filipinas Samantha Marie Bruce (75-74) and Francesca Bernice Olivarez-Ilas (76-73) were with a group at 149.

Bucking the winds that bedeviled most of the field were Dy at Welk Resort, Arevalo at Morgan Run Resort and Chan at Sycuan Resort Oak Glen.

And with their decisive second-round gains, they are well in contention for the championship in the closing round of their respective divisions (playing only 54 holes) Thursday.

Arevalo assembled nines of 31-35 with six birdies against a bogey for a five-under 66 after a 70 that propelled him to second from 10th place in the boys’ 13-14 class.

Ironically, another Filipino in Ryan Monsalve took a big drop in the same category, moving down from second to 39th after a 78 for a 146 total.

Two strokes ahead of Arevalo was Tennessee bet Davis Shore at 66-134.

Chan followed up a 71 with a 70 to also move within two of boys’ 11-12 joint leaders Mason Nome and Alexander Park. The frontrunners had identical rounds of 66-73.

Dy, the boys’ 7-8 titlist last year, rallied to joint second behind Alex Yang (60-57) after a 58 for a four-under 120 aggregate.