Avaricio rallies with steady 71

TAIWAN – Chanelle Avaricio took the cudgels for the embattled Ladies Philippine Golf Tour delegation, delivering a gritty one-under-par 71 in the second round of the Party Golfers Ladies Open at the wind-whipped Lily Golf and Country Club in Hsinchu yesterday.

Her steady recovery stood out on a day when most of her compatriots continued to be buffeted – literally and figuratively – by the tournament’s cold, blustery conditions for the second straight day.

After a 76 Wednesday, Avaricio showed remarkable composure and adaptability on the hillside layout. With temperatures dipping and winds swirling, she quickly recalibrated her game, firing two birdies in her first three holes. She made up for a slip on the eighth with a bounce-back birdie on the ninth, showcasing both precision and mental resolve.

Her 36-hole haul of 147 was good enough to vault her from a share of 37th all the way to joint 17th, though still seven shots adrift of new leader Wenny Chang, who surged ahead behind a scorching 31 on the front nine en route to a 69 and a 140 total.

“My short game was so much better, especially my around-the-green,” Avaricio said. “I didn’t really think of what to score. I just wanted to focus on every shot.”