Pinay golfers grope in chilly weather

MANILA, Philippines — Asian Games bronze medalist Bianca Pagdanganan limped with a seven-over 79 but still emerged the top Filipino performer in a day of soaring scores in chilly, windy conditions in the second round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Hokota, Japan yesterday.?

South Korea’s Hong Yae Eun came in with a three-over 75 and grabbed the halfway lead at three-under 141, two strokes ahead of Aussie Becky Kay, who proved flawless with an opening 64 but skied to a 79 in adverse conditions at the Royal Golf Club and dropped to second at 143.

Pagdanganan, who shot an impressive 64 Thursday, made a decent backside 38 but failed to buck the wind and biting cold at the front, finishing with five bogeys for that 79 for solo ninth at 147, six shots off Hong.

Abby Arevalo, the best Pinay scorer with 67 in the first round, turned in a birdie-less 81 this time to fall to joint 10th at 148 while Yuka Saso, the reigning Asian Games gold medalist and joint third placer in last week’s Augusta Women’s Amateur, also was not spared of nature’s wrath and groped for an 81.

Clare Legaspi also advanced with a 153 after an 82 while Mikha Fortuna bombed out with an 83 for joint 36th at 154.

Meanwhile, Dottie Ardina blew an even-par card with a floundering frontside finish, ending up with a four-over 75 and fell 10 strokes behind American Stacy Lewis and Aussie Hannah Green at the start of the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles Thursday.