Ikeda closes in with 72

MANILA, Philippines - Chihiro Ikeda carded a gutsy even par 72 under scorching heat and moved within one stroke off club bet Charlotte Thomas in the second round of the 21st Singapore Ladies Amateur Championship at the Singapore Island Golf Club in Singapore Wednesday.

Three strokes at the start of the round, the 18-year-old Ikeda used a near-impeccable short game to bounce back into contention, pooling a 36-hole haul of 143 heading into the last 18 holes of the annual tournament among the region’s leading players.

Thomas, who showed up the field with a solid 68 Tuesday, cracked under pressure and fumbled with a two-over 74 to barely hang on to the lead at 142.

Indonesia’s Agnes Sudjasmin fired the day’s best of one-under 71 to likewise stay in the title hunt with a 145, the same output put in by Ikeda’s ICTSI teammate Lovelynn Guioguio, who, however, faltered with a 74.

Ikeda’s 72 and Guioguio’s 74 likewise steered Team RP to a runaway victory in team competition with a two-day aggregate of 288.

Kok Jo Ee of Singapore also assembled a 145 after a 73.

Alabang’s Geleen Handog carded a 73 and moved up to joint eighth at 148 with ICTSI’s Andrea Unson, who had a 76, while Sarah Ababa and Anya Tanpinco were way behind at 151 and 152, respectively, after similar 76s.

Meanwhile, Daniella Uy showed the way in Class A with a 157 after a 78, posting a one-shot lead over teammate Sheryl Villasencio, who an 82-158 while Singapore’s Lyn Sen stood in third with a 166 after an 85.