Tanpinco powers RP to joint 19th

SOUTH AUSTRALIA – The Philippines blew a three-under card with another sputtering finish but the RP ladies crashed into the top 20 with a one-under 143 for joint 19th in the third round of the Espirito Santo Trophy in Adelaide here.

Anya Tanpinco fought back from two over par rounds with a gutsy game yesterday as she went three-under after 14 holes. But the reigning back-to-back national champion bogeyed two of the last four holes on missed green and three-putt miscues to finish with a one-under 71.

That stood as the team’s best score in another challenging day at the Grange Golf Club’s par-72 west course as Chihiro Ikeda rolled in a seven-foot birdie putt on the 18th to salvage an even par 72.

Ikeda actually had a two-under card after she eagled the par-5 No. 5 from eight feet and with Tanpinco matching that card in the early going, the Philippines moved into 16th place from a share of 27th.

But with the ICTSI-backed bets wavering in the closing holes, the RP ladies settled for a 143, nine strokes better than their 152 in the previous round. The Philippines now has a 451 aggregate for a share of 19th with Norway (153) and Wales (151), which played at the par-73 east course, with 17-over cards.

“It was a good round despite Anya’s shaky finish but they need to polish their putting strokes as we try to come up with a Top 15 finish because the three-putts are hurting us,” said coach Bong Lopez.

Sweden, meanwhile, poised for a cruise as it pooled a 147 at the tougher east layout and went unassailably ahead with a 422, 11 shots ahead of Spain, which had a 433 after a 150, also at GGC’s east.

Japan shot a 143 to jump to third place with a 436 heading into the final round of the 72-hole event, the ladies side of the World Amateur Team Championships.

“It will be a lot tougher in the final round as they will play at the difficult par-73 east course. But we hope they stay focused and keep their momentum,” said team skipper and NGAP director Pablo Soon.

Louise Manalo, the other member of the team whose campaign is sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phils. and sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Airlines as official carrier, Stradcom Corp., Dynamic Sports and LORO Shirts, the official outfitter, failed to count with a second straight 82.

Tanpinco opened up with a birdie from eight feet on No. 3 then added two more on Nos. 5 and 6 inside four feet to negate a missed-green bogey on the fourth before banging in another birdie from 10 feet to go 3-under.

But she three-putted No. 12 from 30 feet then made a tap-in birdie on the par-5 13th before dropping two strokes on the last four holes.

Ikeda went two-under after No. 5 after hitting her 3-wood second shot to within eight feet for eagle. But she failed to rescue pars after going out of regulation on Nos. 8 and 9 before mixing two birdies and two bogeys at the back for that 72.