Chua, Roberto seize control

CEBU CITY — Heidi Chua of Wack Wack and Lora Roberto of Southwoods shared the first round lead yesterday after scoring first-round 75s in the 40th Southern Ladies Open at the Cebu Country Club.

Their identical 3-over-par efforts were equivalent to 51 points in the modified Stableford scoring system (Molave) being used in the oldest lady golf event now celebrating its Ruby Anniversary.

The 26-year-old Chua, gunning for her third straight crown , bucked bogeys on Nos. 1 and 2 for a birdie on No. 3 en route to a 39-36 against Roberto’s 37-38 in the three-day series that drew 78 participants.

Defending champion Lina de Guzman double-bogeyed her last hole from a pulled tee shot for a 78 in a second-place tie with Canlubang teammate Lucy Landicho on a wind-swept, flag-stick bending day awash in sunshine.

"I was doing well until my driver became erratic coming home," said De Guzman, who won last year at Del Monte in Bukidnon.

Carmelette Villaroman was tied for third with Eva Miñoza at 79 in the 54-hole tournament sponsored by PAL, the Philippine Sports Commission, DHL Worldwide Express/WWW Express, Marriott Hotel-Cebu, Petron, San Miguel Corp., Communications, Mitsubishi Motors, Mizuno, Hans Brumann, WG&A Super Ferry, Directories Phils. Inc., Nike, Hidden Spring, Perrier and Gopez Corp.

"I’m glad the ball has started rolling," said Alice Andrada of the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines, who is the NGAP treasurer and Ladies Committee chairperson. "Thank God, the weather is cooperating, except for some strong winds starting at mid-morning."

Scoring gives a double bogey 1 point, bogey 2 points, par 3 points and birdie 4 points.

The rest of the championship division saw Stephanie Yu shoot 83, Tracy Locsin 84, and Korean Hye Jung Kim 89.

Chua and Roberto led De Guzman and Landicho by only three points in individual play in the tournament that also stakes prizes in team competition among some 14 squads entered.

"The winds were grabe," said Chua, who won the Philippine Ladies Open and the DHL-NGAP Open last month. "But it was my putting that really did me in. I had several three-putt miscues today."