Avaricio 4 strokes adrift with 71 in Pattaya Ladies Open

MANILA, Philippines – Chanelle Avaricio hit a late frontside birdie to salvage a one-under 71 and trail Onkanok Soisuwan and Chayanit Wangmahaporn by four at the start of the Pattaya Ladies Open at the Laem Chabang International Country Club in Chon Buri, Thailand Wednesday.

Avaricio mixed two birdies against the same number of bogeys after 16 holes then struck a solid tee-shot on the par-3 No. 8 for birdie but missed cashing in on the par-5 ninth hole to finish with a 35-36.

The Filipina ace, winner of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic three weeks ago, tied for 15th, four shots behind Onkanok, who bucked a bogey on No. 3 with six birdies for a 67 while Chayanit posted her version of a five-under card in contrasting fashion, shooting six birdies before dropping a stroke on No. 18.

They grabbed a one-stroke lead over Arpichaya Yubol and Preenaphan Poomklay, who matched 68s, while PK Kongkrapan also gunned down six birdies but fumbled with a double bogey No. 6 after a bogey on the third hole as she settled for a 69 for joint fifth with four others.

The two other Filipinas, however, struggled as Gretchen Villacencio limped with a 75 for a share of 62nd and Marvi Monsalve stumbled with two double bogeys and skied to a 77 for joint 79th in a field of 116 in the THB2.5 million event serving as the fifth leg of the Thai LPGA Tour.