Monsalve falls short as Thais dominate TLPGA qualifier

MANILA, Philippines -- Marvi Monsalve faltered at the finish and narrowly missed the Top 20 cut at the TLPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament at the Suncity Golf Club in Hsinchu County, Taiwan on Thursday.

Despite a promising start, Monsalve stumbled in the final stretch, carding a second consecutive 76 that left her tied for 24th with a 54-hole total of 225 – just one stroke short of the qualifying mark.

Monsalve’s campaign showed promise early, as she crafted a gritty front-nine 36. However, she struggled on the back nine, dropping four shots over the last seven holes. Her score placed her just behind Kornwarin Singchai, who delivered a steady even-par 72 to secure the coveted 20th spot and earn a TLPGA Tour card for next year.

The Thai golfer edged out three others in the tightly contested qualifying race.

Daniella Uy, who opened the tournament with a decent 72, failed to maintain momentum. She followed up with rounds of 76 and 81, finishing 51st with a 229, while Kayla Nocum ended her campaign at 57th with a total of 230 after a final-round 77.

Florence Bisera managed a 76 after an 80 but could only muster a 231 for 59th place, while Mafy Singson showed improvement with a 76 following an 84, settling at 80th with a 236.

Cholcheva Wongras fired a remarkable 70 to top the qualifiers with a 216, leading a strong Thai contingent of seven players into the Top 20. The group also featured six Japanese players, two Singaporeans, one Malaysian and four Taiwanese.