Cyna Rodriguez falters but regains 2-shot lead

TARLAC, Philippines — Cyna Rodriguez blew a four-stroke lead as she lost her touch off the mound but fought back from three down with superb putting to regain a two-shot edge despite a 75 as Thai Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang crumbled at the finish in the second round of the ICTSI Luisita Ladies Championship at the Luisita Golf and Country Club  yesterday.

In a bizarre twist, Rodriguez bogeyed the very three holes (Nos. 4, 5 and 7) she birdied that anchored her superb opening 70 card Wednesday but came through with a slew of par saves and a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 16th to move 18 holes away from breaking a long spell on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour with a 145.

From 4-up, the Filipina ace fell by three as Pattaranakrueang, who opened with a 74, scorched the frontside with three birdies in the first eight holes. Though she dropped strokes on the par-5 ninth and No. 11, the veteran Thai campaigner birdied Nos. 12 and 14 to move up by three with a one-under overall card.

Pattaranakrueang needed two blasts to get out of the greenside bunker on the par-4 No. 15 for a 6  then holed out with a double-bogey on the tough No. 17 to slip to second again after a 73 and a 147.