Del Rosario leads local bets in Philippine Ladies Masters opener

STA. Rosa, Laguna – Pauline del Rosario carried the fight for the struggling Philippine contingent, battling through the demanding layout of The Country Club to card a hard-earned 69, placing her just two strokes off Korean Seong Eunjeong at the start of the ICTSI Worldwide Link Philippine Ladies Masters 2025 here on Wednesday.

Seong bounced back from a late mishap on the par-5 eighth, closing with a birdie on the ninth to secure a five-under 67 in one of the late flights. On a scorching day when the leaderboard constantly shifted, her steady play left her as the surprised solo leader, highlighting the intense and unpredictable nature of the competition.

“I started strong and finished well," said Seong, who thrived in her debut at the TCC. Having lived in the country for 15 years and played frequently at Riviera near her home in Silang, she added, "But this course is really tough."

After a shaky stretch on the front nine, the backside of her game, Del Rosario closed in spectacular fashion, birdieing the last two holes to salvage a 34-35 card. Her clutch finish secured her a joint sixth place start as most of the local bets faltered under the course’s punishing conditions.

"I didn't do anything special to prepare for this tournament," said Del Rosario, who finished tied for 11th in Jakarta. "I just took a week off after the Indonesian Open and stuck to my usual routine — range practice and short game work."

The first Filipina to win on the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA) in 2017, Del Rosario got off to an impressive start with three birdies against a bogey in her first 11 holes from the back nine of the 6,337-yard layout. She positioned herself among the early frontrunners before stumbling with a bogey on the tough par-4 fifth hole, momentarily slipping down the leaderboard.

Undeterred, she regained her composure with two steady pars before mounting a strong comeback. At the par-5 eighth, she skillfully hacked her approach from 25 yards to within six feet and confidently sank the putt. She followed up with another clutch six-footer on No. 9 after a precise 130-yard approach, firmly reestablishing herself among the top contenders in the $200,000 tournament.

Coming off a 20th-place finish in Indonesia, Seong made an early statement by birdieing the first two holes at the back, then shined on the course’s signature island green par-3 17th, finishing her opening nine with a 33.

She carried her momentum into the front nine with birdies on Nos. 1 and 4, defying the odds and overcoming the challenges of the demanding TCC layout. Although she found herself in a fairway bunker on the par-5 No. 8, she played out but then dumped her third shot into the greenside bunker, resulting in her first bogey. Unfazed, the 25-year-old demonstrated resilience, responding with two strong shots on the ninth to set up and convert a crucial birdie, seizing the early lead.

Pattharat Rattanawan also posted a five-under card after 15 holes, featuring six birdies against one bogey. However, a costly bogey on the 17th hole derailed her momentum, allowing Seong to take solo control of the strong field.

Rattanawan ended up with a 68, slipping to joint second with Parinda Phokan and fellow Thai Nook Sukapan and Korean Kim Nahyun, with Han Nakyoung, also from Korea, also birdying the ninth to save a 69 and join del Rosario at sixth.

Phokan came agonizingly close to seizing the outright lead but faltered on the demanding par-4 18th with a three-putt miscue, settling for a 68 in what could have been a commanding start to the championship. The late bogey dampened her momentum in this fiercely competitive event, where confidence is key.

“My driving was strong, and my short game was nearly flawless, with an impressive up-and-down success rate,” said Phokan, whose birdie-blast on the par-3 11th fueled her blazing start.

She praised the course, calling it "near-perfect," and added, “The fairways and greens are in excellent condition — almost perfect.”

Kim made the most of the early morning conditions, thriving in the calm atmosphere to post a 68. Meanwhile, Sukapan birdied three of her final four holes on the front nine, finishing with a 33-35 to create a crowded leaderboard.

Meanwhile, Korean Son Yeonjung stole the spotlight with a hole-in-one on the 125-yard, par-3 sixth hole, using a pitching wedge and a Bridgestone ball No. 1, earning a $300 prize from the co-organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., along with a trophy, a TCC cap and a polo shirt from the host club.

Son had earlier birdied the first hole and closed out her dominant frontside stint with another birdie on the ninth for a 32. Another birdie on the par-5 10th propelled her to the lead at five-under but fell off the leaderboard just as quickly as she bogeyed the 11th and then dropped two strokes on the next.

She parred the rest for a 70 and a share of eighth, with Pakin Kawinpakorn, Kim Ahyeon, Lee Sujeong, Mind Muangkhumsakul, Park Eji, Green Poruangrong, Onkanok Soisuwan, Navaporn Soontreeyapas and TLPGA’s No. 4 Wang Li-ning, just three strokes off the pace.

For her part, Florence Bisera also stayed in early contention with a 71, while pro-am winner Daniella Uy shot three birdies but offset them with three bogeys, finishing with an even-par 72, in a tie with Mikha Fortuna and 13 others.

Reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) Order of Merit champion Harmie Constantino withdrew after 12 holes due to illness, following the earlier withdrawal of top Thai player PK Kongkraphan. Both players exited the last of two legs of the Korean Dream Tour series.

Kim Nahyun opened strong with two birdies in her first four holes at the back, then rebounded from a setback on the 16th with a scorching run of three birdies in the first five holes at the front.

However, it was her clutch par save on No. 11 that defined her round, keeping her in contention for the 54-hole championship held in collaboration with the Korean LPGA, the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA) and the LPGT.

“Most of my shots were great today (Wednesday), but I think my second hole on the back nine was the highlight of my round,” said Kim, who recovered from an errant tee shot with a spectacular up-and-down on the par-3 11th.

After a disappointing finish in the Indonesian Open last month, Kim committed to intense training, and the results showed in her Philippine debut.

“This is my first time playing in the Philippines. I was disappointed with my last tournament in Indonesia, but I worked hard in practice, and today’s performance was a great result,” she added.

Phokan, one of the standouts from the morning wave, got off to a hot start with three birdies in the first eight holes. She added another on the par-3 11th and continued her charge with a birdie on the par-5 14th, putting herself in prime position to take control of the tournament.

With the majority of the 130-player field battling the challenges of the unforgiving TCC layout, Phokan looked poised to dominate the opening round of the 54-hole championship. However, after three pars, she stumbled on the tricky final hole, carding a bogey that denied her sole possession of the lead.

A two-time winner on the TLPGA, Phokan, however, remained a strong contender, eager to build on her solid start and contend for the title.

Del Rosario emerged as the lone Filipina within striking distance of the leaders after compatriots Pamela Mariano and Dottie Ardina lost steam and finished over par.

Mariano, who initially showed promise with birdies on two of the long holes (Nos. 10 and 14), struggled to maintain momentum and wound up with a 78, placing her in a tie for 111 with the Top 60 and ties advancing to the final round.

Ardina, after a steady start with three straight pars at the back, failed to recover from two bogeys and a double bogey, finishing with a birdie-less 76 to share 61st place.

Princess Superal also faced a tough challenge, slipping down the standings after a string of bogeys. After three opening pars at the front, she dropped shots on Nos. 4 and 5, before conceding further strokes on Nos. 7, 11 and 12.

But with an impressive frontside finish, Del Rosario remains the Philippines’ best hope for a strong finish, eager to build on her momentum in the next two rounds.