Del Rosario, Thai brace for title clash

MANILA, Philippines – Pauline del Rosario and Thai Paphangkorn Tavatanakit slugged it out shot for shot and putt for putt and finished with the same output for the second straight day – 69s – to set up a final round shootout for the Thailand Ladies Amateur Open at the Phoenix Golf Club in Pattaya, Thailand late Thursday.

Del Rosario actually surged ahead with a four-under card heading to the uphill, 405-yard par-4 No. 9, their closing hole, but missed the green, chipped to within six feet and missed the putt to settle for a three-under card and a continued share of the lead with the Thai ace at 139 after 36 holes.

“It could’ve been a big cushion had Pau knocked that par putt on the last hole,” said Team The Country Club coach Bong Lopez. “While Cess (Superal) continued to struggle with her iron game, Pau has been playing steady and remains confident although putting will be key in the final round.”

Princess Superal failed to launch her second round charge and stumbled with a second straight 74 to bow out of the title race at 148 with another Thai Atthaya Thitikul in far third at 144 while Sofia Chabon hardly improved with a 75 after a 78 for a 153.

With Superal still groping for form, Team TCC fell short of its final round rally in the 36-hole team competition, settling for second with a 287 aggregate after a 143.

Thailand-A, led by Tavatanakit, also carded a 143 and won by one with a 286 total.

The Philippine team of Sofia Legaspi, Miya Legaspi and Sam Bruce slid to fourth with a 292 after a 149, behind Thailand-B, which pooled the day’s best of 140 for a 288.

Del Rosario made a solid start at the back, birdying No. 11 from 12 feet then rammed in two more from close range on Nos. 13 and 18. After missing the green and dropping a shot on No. 3, the top TCC bet canned in a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 6 then tapped in for another birdie on the seventh before yielding the lead with her ninth hole mishap.