MANILA, Philippines - Lois Kaye Go and Mikha Fortuna easily hurdled the 36-hole stroke play elims and braced for the tougher match play phase of the US Girls’ Junior Championship at the Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Missouri Tuesday.
Go, who will spearhead the Phl’s campaign in next month’s SEA Games with Harmie Constantino and Junia Gabasa, gunned down two birdies against three bogeys, her one-over 72 and a two-day total of 145 netting her 18th place effort after the elims.
Fortuna, on the other hand, slowed down after an opening 72, finishing with a 74 marred by a triple-bogey seven on No. 7. She pooled a 146 and ended up 22nd.
Lucy Li of the US sizzled with a 66 to clinch the low medal honors at 137, one stroke ahead of Thai Paphangkorn Tavatanakit, who fired a 68 for a138.
The top 64 advanced to the knockout phase set to start Wednesday with Go squaring off with No. 47 Ellie Szeryk of Canada.
Fortuna, seeking to duplicate former The Country Club teammate Princess Superal’s title conquest in 2014, will clash with No. 43 Stephanie Carras of Michigan in the last pairing.
Li will take on No. 64 Belinda Hu while Tavatanakit will collide with No. 63 Emily Mahar of Australia.
The two other Pinay bets, Annika Cedo and Sam Bruce, failed to make the cut at 152 with the former finishing with a 159 after a 78 and the latter ending up with a 161 after an 80.