Arevalo 3 down in Long Beach

MANILA, Philippines -  Abegail Arevalo carded a two over par 74 and fell behind by three off Yoshitake Taylor at the start of the Long Beach Women’s Amateur golf tournament in El Dorado Park Golf Course in Long Beach, California Thursday.

Arevalo, one of the new members of the ICTSI golf squad, made two birdies but stumbled with four bogeys to drop to a share of fourth with Thai Beverly Vatannanugulkit.

Taylor rattled off three birdies to negate a two-bogey mishap and open a two-stroke lead over Betty Chen and Tai Kliebphipat, who both turned one-over 73s.

Cyna Rodriguez, the reigning Hong Kong Amateur Open champion, failed to get going and limped home with a four-over 76 for joint 10th, five strokes off the pace.

But the former Philippine Ladies Open champion hopes to rebound when action shifts to the Recreation Park Course for Friday’s second round of the event, one of a series of tournaments lined up for Team ICTSI in the US.