Ikeda, Guioguio 3 behind in Singapore

MANILA, Philippines - Chihiro Ikeda and ICTSI teammate Lovelynn Guioguio fired identical one-under par 71 to trail club bet Charlotte Thomas by three at the start of the 21st Singapore Ladies Amateur Championship at the Singapore Island Golf Club in Singapore Tuesday.

Ikeda, out to atone for her seventh place finish in last week’s Malaysian Amateur Open Ladies, gunned three birdies against two bogeys to match Guioguio’s output although the RP duo stood three shots behind Thomas at the start of the 54-hole tournament.

Thomas played a near-flawless round at the Island course, shooting five birdies against a bogey to seize control of the field teeming with Filipina bets.

Andrea Unson, also of ICTSI, matched par 72 to tie Singapore’s Jo Ee Kok at fourth while Hong Kong’s Demi Mak stood a shot farther back at 73.

Gereleen Handog of Alabang carded a 75 for joint ninth with ICTSI’s Sarah Ababa while former two-time national champion Anya Tanpinco struggled with a four-over 76 in a tie with Sheryl Villasencio and Daniella Uy.

Ikeda and Guioguio’s pair of 71s also gave ICTSI I a five-shot lead over Macau’s Mak and Ginger Mak (147) and ICTSI II’s Unson, Ababa and Uy (147) in the 36-hole team competition, a three-to-play, two-to-count format side event.