Monsalve impresses with 71 in Thai LPGA Tour

MANILA, Philippines – Marvi Monsalve holed out with a birdie at dusk to rescue a one-under 71 but trailed a hot-starting Sukaree Kornkamol by eight after 18 holes of the BGC Championship at the Watermill Golf Club and Resort in Nakyon Nayok in central Thailand Wednesday night.

Monsalve overcame tough conditions in a late start at the par-72 layout, bouncing back from a bogey mishap on No. 3 with a birdie on the par-3 seventh then held her ground with a run of pars before closing out with a birdie on the 365-yard No. 18.

Her impressive start netted her a share of 24th as she emerged the top Filipina performer in the THB1.2 million championship, the kickoff leg of this year’s Thai LPGA Tour, as Chanelle Avaricio and Harmie Constantino struggled with 73 and 74, respectively.

Gretchen Villacencio likewise put in a brave stand to salvage a 72, rebounding from a two-over card after six holes with birdies on Nos. 8 and 12 as she joined nine other local bets at 33rd place.

Avaricio, who finished at No. 13 in last week’s Thai LPGA Q-School, birdied Nos. 11 and 12 to negate a bogey start on the 10th but dropped strokes on Nos. 14, 17 and 3 and needed to birdie the ninth to save a 73 for joint 43rd.

Constantino, who placed 15th in the elims, faltered at the finish and blew a two-birdie, two-bogey round after 12 holes with bogeys on Nos. 14 and 18 as she tumbled from joint 33rd to a share of 54th with a two-over card.

Lizbeth Alcantara, on the other hand, fumbled with five bogeys against a birdie for a 76 that dropped her to tied 83rd in a starting field of 120.

Kornkamol, meanwhile, flashed top form and sizzled with 11 birdies that more than made up for her two bogeys as she fired a 63 to wrest a two-stroke lead over fancied Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who gunned down eight birdies against a bogey for a 65 while Boonchant Jaravee came up with a 67 for joint third with three other local bidders.