Baraquiel shines with 66, nears US golf breakthrough

MANILA, Philippines — Sunshine Baraquiel picked herself up big time after an opening hole stumble at the back, going seven-under she spiked with an eagle on No. 6 for a 66 and a one-stroke lead in the Mizuno Cali Q-School Prep Series #2 at Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert, California Thursday (Friday, Manila time).

Baraquiel birdied three of the next four holes after that mishap then dominated the last two par-5s at the front, birdying the 549-yard No. 2 and cashing in on the 453-yard sixth with an eagle before capping her charge with another birdie on the ninth.

Her 66 card thrust her past Lizzie Win, who earlier turned in a 67 highlighted by four straight birdies from No. 1, and two strokes ahead of amateur Nataliya Guseva, who topped the first of two 36-hole Cali Q-School Series at Mission Hills last Tuesday on a final round 66.

Baraquiel, a one-time Ladies Philippine Golf Tour winner who shifted her campaign to the US in pursuit of an LPGA Tour dream, rallied to finish joint 10th the first time out but appeared headed for another struggling start after failing to get up-and-down on the 381-yard par-4 No. 10.

But the Filipina lady pilot steered herself back into play with a birdie on No. 11, gained strokes on Nos. 13 and 14 before snapping a five-hole par game with that birdie on the second hole that led to a closing 32.

Chanelle Avaricio, who also took the long LPGT break to toughen up in the US, recovered from a three-bogey mishap in the first five holes, also from No. 10, with two birdies in the last 13. But her 73 slipped the four-time LPGT winner, who tied for 30th in Series #1, to a share of 23rd, seven strokes off Baraquiel in the event serving as part of the East Coast Women's Pro Golf Tour, a highly competitive circuit for players aspiring to the LPGA Tour.

Amateur Lois Kaye Go, the best Pinay finisher in Series #1 at joint fifth, failed to ride on a birdie-birdie feat from No. 2, bogeying two of the next six holes then limping with a triple-bogey on the 10th.

She bounced back with birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 but yielded another stroke on the 16th that dropped her joint 26th with a 74.

Meanwhile, Dottie Ardina, Pauline del Rosario and Clariss Guce resume their Epson Tour campaign in the Four Winds Invitational beginning Friday in South Bend, Indiana.

Ardina, the ICTSI team spearhead in chase of a follow-up to her breakthrough Copper Rock Championship feat in Utah last April, kicks off her drive in the 54-hole championship at 8:14 a.m. with Korean Jiwon Jeon and Kiira Riihijarvi of Finland at the back of the South Bend Country Club course. Meanwhile, del Rosario, out to snap a series of missed cut stints, drew a late start at 12:30 p.m., also on No. 10, with Daniela Recla of Brazil and Aussie Julienne So.

The US-based Guce, a two-time Epson Tour winner, slugs it out with Laura Restrepo of Colombia and American Katelyn Sisk at 8:03 a.m. on No. 1.

The Pinay bets groped for form in tough conditions in the weather-hit French Lick Charity Classic, also in Indiana, last week with Ardina ending up tied for 33rd and Abby Arevalo winding up at joint 39th. Del Rosario and Guce failed to advance.