Thai leads LPGT qualifier by two after a 73

MANILA, Philippines - Amolkan Phalajivin of Thailand recovered a bit at the back to salvage a one-over 73 and grab a two-stroke lead over amateur Sam Martirez at the start of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Qualifying School at Eagle Ridge’s Aoki course in Gen. Trias, Cavite yesterday.

Phalajivin, the comely veteran of the Asian Ladies Tour and China Tour, birdied two of the first six holes at the back to negate his late bogey on the 16th for a 35 for that 73 in a big start to her bid to earning a card in the bigger, richer premier ladies pro circuit set to fire off in April.

The Thai bet, who finished sixth as an invitee in the inaugural ICTSI LPGT final leg in Baguio last October, actually sputtered in the early going, dropping shots on Nos. 1 and 5 but birdied the par-5 No. 7 before fumbling with another bogey on the ninth. She, however, birdied the 10th and the last par-5 at No. 15 before dropping another shot on the par-3 16th.

Martinez, a member of Team ICTSI, hit just one birdie on No. 3 and hobbled with four bogeys but made a couple of save pars to card a three-over 75 while teammate Mika Fortuna turned in a fiery windup, birdying three of the last four holes for a 78.

Korean Kwon Seo Yon and amateur Ashia Marie Nocum shot identical 80s while another pair of Koreans, Kim So Yoo and Park You Ra carded similar 81s heading to the last two rounds of the elims sponsored by Internationl Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Players who score 240 for the 54-hole tournament will gain berths in the second season of the ICTSI LPGT, according to the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. The eight-leg circuit will fire off April 16-18 at the Orchard Golf and Country Club’s Player’s Course in Cavite.

Japanese Yuka Saso and local bet Pamela Mariano will have a lot of catching up to do in the last two days as they struggled with identical 82s while Park Hyo Jin and Kim Dae Jeong of Korea made 87 and 88, respectively.

Vanessa Tsutsui, another local bet, skied to a 93 while amateur Sam Green made a 94.

ICTSI LPGT Inaugural Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez is expected to head the Orchard cast along with Jayvie Agojo, Lovelynn Guioguio, Sarah Ababa, Anya Tanpinco, Apple Fudolin, Tracy Que, Lucy Landicho, Heidi Chua, Mary Grace Estuesta, Sylvia Torres, Jan Punzalan, Reb Bareng, Eva Miñoza, Barsy Leonen and Chihiro Ikeda.