Sarines grabs lead with gritty 71 at Philippine Ladies Open
MANILA, Philippines — Lisa Sarines made good on her vow to come back stronger, delivering a gutsy even-par 71 to grab a one-stroke lead at the opening round of the Philippine Ladies Open on Tuesday at the Manila Golf Club in the posh Forbes Park.
Showcasing poise and precision on the tight, challenging layout, Sarines leaned on clutch approach shots and steady putting to produce the day’s lone even-par card. Her composed round put her ahead of a competitive field and signaled her strong intent to redeem herself after a heartbreaking runner-up finish last year.
Sarines narrowly missed out on the crown in the previous edition, yielding the championship by one stroke to Korean standout Yunju An at Valley Golf Club. That stinging defeat has since fueled her preparation and determination heading into this week’s championship.
But the road to redemption remains long.
Hot on her heels are Precious Zaragosa and Hong Kong ace Alanna Tee, who matched 72s to stay within striking distance. Both challengers also displayed superb all-around games and are poised to mount serious bids as the tournament progresses.
Just two strokes off the lead are Athena Batican and Tashi Balangauan, who carded identical 73s to remain firmly in contention in the 54-hole championship. Meanwhile, Crista Miñoza and Thailand’s Tanjira Issaraphon posted 74s, keeping themselves within range in what is shaping up to be a tightly contested championship.
Further back, Zero Plete opened with a 75, while Junia Gabasa — fresh from competing in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship — and Alessandra Luciano struggled to 76s.
With the leaderboard tightly packed and the demanding course offering little room for error, the battle for position is expected to intensify in Wednesday’s second round.
For Sarines, consistency will be key as she seeks to turn an encouraging start into a long-awaited championship breakthrough.
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