Malixi sustains charge as darkness halts Singapore Women's Open play

MANILA, Philippines – Rianne Malixi’s second round charge faced a momentary setback as play was suspended due to darkness following a weather delay in the afternoon, putting the Filipina shotmaker at joint ninth with a three-under card after 11 holes in the Singapore Women’s Open at the Tanah Merah Country Club’s Tampines course Friday.

Korean Jaehee Kim took the clubhouse lead with a 68 for a 10-under 134 with erstwhile frontrunner Shinsil Bang moving within one with a frontside two-under card for a nine-under overall when play was halted.

Youmin Hwang, Soomin Oh and Yesung Jun, all from Korea, and fancied Thai Patty Tavatanakit all pooled 136s for a share of third place heading to the weekend play of the $1.8-million championship.

The ICTSI-backed Malixi, who rallied with a three-birdie blast in a frontside finish to annex a three-under 69 in the morning wave Thursday, sizzled in her second-round start, birdying the first two holes and rattling off three straight pars. However, like several other competitors, her play had to be cut short due to adverse weather conditions, resulting in another interruption.

The first round had also been suspended late Thursday for similar weather concerns with Bang grabbing the early lead with a 65 and Kim carding a 66 at the completion of her round early Friday.

Hwang made a big 10-stroke turnaround with a blistering 63 that featured 10 birdies against a bogey as she tied Jun, who fired a 67, Oh, who put in a 68, and Tavatanakit, who slowed down with a 69 after a 67.

Malixi, 16, signaled her intent early in the round, positioning herself provisionally at joint 12th at five-under overall before play was halted. At resumption, the recent Australian Masters of the Amateurs winner birdied the par-3 No. 6 for the second straight day and parred the next five holes, moving four strokes off the leader.

But while Malixi put herself in the mix, fellow Filipinas Daniella Uy and Princess Superal headed for an early exit in the $1.8-million championship, the kickoff leg of this year’s Korean LPGA Tour.