Ababa joint leader in San Diego Jr Masters

Manila, Philippines - Sarah Ababa used a near-impeccable short game to fire a one-under 71 and gain a share of the lead with Thai Suchaya Tangkamolprasert at the start of the fourth Annual San Diego Masters at Sycuan Resort’s Oak Glen golf course in El Cajun, California Wednesday.

Ababa, winner of the recent New Zealand 19-Under Championship, struggled off the tee but made up for this with a superb short game and steady putting, rescuing pars four times to turn in a two-birdie, one-bogey card and catch the Thai ace who floundered in the last three holes.

“My driving kept going right. So I told myself to keep on fighting for good approach shots and chips around the green. I’m glad it worked,” said Ababa, member of the ICTSI-Philippine team.

Tangkamolprasert went three-under with three holes to go but made back-to-back bogeys from No. 16, missing the solo lead in the 36-hole tournament which stakes a berth in next week’s Callaway Junior World Championships in San Diego.

Dottie Ardina bucked the absence of a practice round as she matched par 72 to put herself in contention in Class A for players 15-18 years old. She missed joining the leaders with a bogey on the par-4 16th but came through with gutsy pars in the last two holes.

Zsofia Szurovszki of Hungary and India’s Nikita Arjun were at fifth with a 73 followed by the 74s of Taipei’s Min Lee and Hong Kong’s Kimberly Wong.