Pinay golfers stay in hunt for LPGA, Epson Tour Qualifying School Stage II

MANILA, Philippines -- Chanelle Avaricio sustained her form and shot a 70 while Abby Arevalo charged back with a solid 68 as they zeroed in on spots in the LPGA and Epson Tour Qualifying School Stage II in Florida in October.

Avaricio followed up her 69 at Dinah Shore and 71 at Arnold Palmer Signature course in Rancho Mirage, California with a 70 at Shallow Ridge’s Faldo layout as she improved to joint 24th from a share of 35th at 210 heading to the final round of the 72-hole elims, the first of a grueling phase leading to LPGA cards next year.

At joint 96th after 36 holes, the ICTSI-backed Arevalo moved to tied 46th at 212 as she came away with a fiery four-under 68 at Faldo, highlighting her 33-35 card with an eagle on the par-5 No. 6 that went with her birdies on Nos. 2 and 16.

Amateur Samantha Bruce likewise banked on her power to eagle the par-5 18th of Arnold Palmer, saving a 71 and gaining seven spots at joint 62nd with 214.

Daniella Uy birdied the 13th, also of Arnold Palmer, to salvage a 73 as she made the 54-hole cut at tied 122nd with 218 but in danger of missing Stage II with only the Top 100 plus advancing to the next stage.

Sunshine Baraquiel bounced back from an opening hole bogey at Faldo with three birdies in the next five holes but the Highlands leg winner of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour last year failed to hit a birdie in the last 12 holes, her 70 not enough to lift her to the fourth round with a 219 total, just one stroke below the cut.

Top amateur Lois Kaye Go also missed it by one despite a birdie on the last for a 71 at Arnold Palmer for a 219.

But Avaricio, a three-time LPGT winner this year, is all focused on the task at hand, coming through with five birdies to negate a three-bogey mishap, including on the last hole that stymied her closing run marked by back-to-back birdies from No. 16.

The long-hitting Arevalo, who like Avaricio, Baraquiel, Uy and Go have toughened up on the Women’s All Pro Tour and the East Coast Women Pro circuit the past couple of months, hopes to keep the momentum of her sterling play at Faldo following a scrambling 71 fashioned out on a three-birdie against a bogey rally in the last four holes at Dinah Shore and a 73 at Arnold Palmer that saw fight back from three bogeys in the first four holes with three birdies in the next five. She dropped two strokes on No. 16 but birdied the last.

The Stage II will be held Oct. 18-21 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Florida with the survivors advancing to the punishing two-week Q-Series from Nov. 28-Dec. 4 at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, and Dec. 5-11 at the Highland Oaks Golf Course in Dothan, both in Alabama.

Meanwhile, South Africa's Kaleigh Tefler shot a 68 of Faldo while French Anais Meyssionnier double bogeyed No. 16, also of Faldo, and settled for a 71 as they shared the 54-hole lead at 204, one stroke ahead of amateur Alessandra Fanali of Italy and Thai Arpichaya Yubol, who fired a 69 and 70, respectively, for 205s.