Cyna, Princess two strokes down in Singapore Amateurs

MANILA, Philippines - Cyna Rodriguez and Princess Superal gunned down late birdies to shoot a pair of one-under 71s and trail in-form Kelly Tan of Malaysia at the start of the Singapore Amateur Open Golf Championship at the Laguna National Golf and Resort in Singapore Tuesday.

Rodriguez and Superal, out to atone for their one-shot loss to Tan in the Malaysian Amateur Open last week, both birdied No. 16 as the top ICTSI bets joined Michelle Koh, also of Malaysia, and Australian Ashley Ona at third, two strokes behind the hot-starting Tan.

The Malaysian ace launched her bid for a second straight crown with a three-under 69 to wrest a one-shot lead over Thailand’s Pannarat Thanapolboonyarat, who carded a 70.

Sofia Chabon, also of Team ICTSI, lined herself up for back-to-back wins after a runaway victory in Division 2 in Malaysia last week, firing a one-under 71 to post a big four-shot lead over teammate Abby Arevalo, who turned in a 75 for joint second with Taiwanese Hung Jo Hua.

Sarah Tan of Singapore and Taiwan’s Lin Jie En made 76s while Pauline del Rosario struggled with a 77.

After a run of pars, Superal dropped a stroke on No. 11 after missing the green but birdied No. 12 from 16 feet then rolled in an eight-footer for another birdie on the 16th for that 71.

Rodriguez, the reigning Hong Kong Amateur Open champion, rammed in a 15-foot birdie putt on the second hole but bogeyed Nos. 4 and 11, needing to sink a 20-footer from the fringe for birdie on No. 13 before holing out with another long birdie putt on the 16th.

Chabon, who gained a lot of confidence after nailing her first international win last week, flashed superb iron game that set up two tap-in birdies and hit a 12-footer for birdie on No. 12 to negate her missed green bogeys on Nos. 1 and 15.