Harmie, Mafy forge ahead with 72s

SILANG, Cavite, Philippines — Amateur Mafy Singson blew an early three-under card on a backside foldup but holed out with a birdie to salvage a 72 and tie Harmie Constantino at the helm at the start of the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Challenge here yesterday.

In a day of shifting fortunes in sweltering heat at the Couples course, Daniella Uy surged ahead in the last flight with one-under card after 15 holes but bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 then flubbed a birdie putt from pin-length high on the last to drop to joint third with Chanelle Avaricio and Marvi Monsalve at 73.

Chihiro Ikeda also posted a three-under card just after five holes but like majority of the rest, wavered on the tricky surface at the back before hitting a late birdie (No. 17) to salvage a 74 for joint sixth with Korean rookie pro Jane Jeong while another shot adrift at was Florence Bisera.

“My game was okay but I didn’t finish well,” said Singson, who had had close brushes with a first pro title in the last two legs at Eagle Ridge-Aoki and Highlands but faltered in the stretch on both occasions.

The 18-year-old rising star rattled off three straight birdies from No. 5 after a birdie-bogey game from No. 2. But she bogeyed three of the first four holes at the back, dropped another stroke on the 17th before birdying the 18th for a 33-39.

Constantino, who made it two-in-row at Aoki early this month but struggled to finish fourth in Tagaytay Highlands two weeks ago, came out of a two-birdie, two three-putt bogey game at the front with a birdie on No. 14 to seize control. But the former national champion bogeyed the 17th, also on a three-putt miscue, for a pair of 36s, enabling Singson to draw level.