Guce drops to joint 24th after 72; Del Rosario, Arejola advance

MANILA, Philippines -- Clariss Guce failed to sustain an early burst as she struggled with missed shots and missed putts halfway through, ending up with a 72 to slip to a share of 24th after 36 holes of the IOA Golf Classic now paced by Lindsey McCurdy in Longwood, Florida Saturday.

Guce hit back-to-back birdies from No. 2 to spark hopes for a big charge for the US-based Filipina, who however reeled back with three straight bogeys from No. 9. She birdied the par-5 16th but missed the closing par-3 and conceded another stroke.

With a one-over 34-38 round at the par-71 layout, Guce dropped from joint 20th to tied 24th at 142, 11 strokes behind McCurdy.

The American bucked a double bogey mishap on No. 16 with eight birdies, highlighted by a four-string feat from No. 10, as she seized control with an 11-under 131, one shot ahead of Dewi Weber from France, who assembled a 132 after a second straight 66.

Three strokes off the pace is Taiwanese Vivian Hou, who shot the tournament-best 63 to seize solo third at 134.

Cydney Clanton, who sizzled with a lead-grabbing 65 in the first round, skied to a 79 marred by three double bogeys, as she tumbled to a share of 42nd at 144, just a stroke above the cutoff score.

Team ICTSI’s Pauline del Rosario rebounded from a frontside 38 with two birdies at the back as she saved a second straight 72 and joined Clanton and 14 others at 42nd, while Tomita Arejola carded a 73 and barely made the cut at 145.

Abby Arevalo, however, fell by the wayside with a second 74 for a 148.