Fortuna 4 adrift in Malaysian Am Open

MANILA, Philippines -  Mikha Fortuna came out of the two-hour weather delay with a birdie on No. 14 as she scrambled for a one-over 73 and fell four strokes behind local ace Natasha Oon at the start of the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship in Kuala Lumpur late Wednesday.

Fortuna, who with The Country Club teammate Sofia Chabon is gearing up for a return stint in the US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball later this month, struggled with a two-over card after 13 holes when play was stopped due to heavy rain and lightning at the soggy Glenmarie Golf and Club’s Valley course.

But she hit a superb approach from 100 yards then finished it off with a 10-foot birdie on No. 14 then parred the rest to stay within striking distance of Oon, 15, who won the Selangor Am Open last March, who bucked tough condition to shoot a 69 and open a two-stroke lead over Thailand’s Kan Bunnabodee, who turned in a gutsy one-under 71.

Another TCC mainstay, Bernice Olivarez-Ilas, shot a 74 to tie Vanessa Bouvet of France and Malaysians Warda Amira Abdul Rawof, Liyana Azizan Durisic and Allycia Gan Phiek When while Chabon hobbled with a 79.

“It was a great effort by Mikha as she kept her poise down the stretch, keeping her within sight of the leader,” said TCC coach Bong Lopez.