Cajita rises, but Malixi falters in Thai Jr. World

MANILA, Philippines — Jacob Cajita fired a two-under 70 and seized control in boys’ Class A but Rianne Malixi tumbled with a 73 in the girls’ side of the premier class halfway through the Thailand Junior World Golf Championship in Hua Hin Friday.

Cajita shot three birdies against a bogey to turn the best round at the tough Royal Hua Hin course, pooling a 143 for a big five-stroke lead over Malaysian Syed Hussein Nor Ismail, who assembled a 148 after a 71.

Edison Tabalin, however, struggled with a 76 for a 155 while Zachary Castro made a 159 after an 80.

Malixi, meanwhile, floundered at the finish and bogeyed two of the last three holes, ending up with a one-over card for a 143 and enabling Thapasit Thitikarn to take command at 140 after a blistering 68.

Two shots clear of Thitikarn with an opening 70, Malixi doubled her lead with back-to-back birdies from No. 2 but fell back just as quickly as she bogeyed three of the next six holes and the local ace hit three birdies in the same stretch.

That huge six-shot swing put Thitikarn in command, staying in the lead with a gutsy two-birdie, one-bogey backside card for a 33-35 while the ICTSI-backed Malixi failed to sustain a two-birdie roll on Nos. 10 and 13, losing her rhythm and touch and hobbling with three bogeys against a birdie for a 37-36.

Abby Abarcas, meanwhile, carded a second 83 for a 166 while Julianna Go skied to a 92 for a 178.

In other classes, Shinichi Suzuki, who placed fourth in last week’s Thailand Amateur Open, fumbled with a second straight 76 and a 152 and fell 11 strokes behind Taiwanese Lo Yung Cheng, who held sway at 141 despite a 74 for a six-shot lead over Kwong Bruce of Singapore, who groped for a 75 for a 147.

Patrick Tambalque also limped with a 79 for a 156 while Tristan Padilla had a 158, also after a seven-over round.

Zachary Villaroman fumbled with an 85 for a 165.

Reese Ng carded a 75 for a 159, 17 strokes behind French Louise Langraf, who made a 142 after a 71, three strokes ahead of Ng Jing Xuen, who rallied with a 70 for a 145.