Avaricio, Go fumble in NSDF Classic opener

MANILA, Philippines – Chanelle Avaricio and amateur Lois Kaye Go misfired in a faltering backside finish and limped with 77 and 78, respectively, putting themselves in danger of missing the cut in the NSDF Ladies Classic paced by clubhouse leader Natthakritta Vongtaveelap in Chon Buri, Thailand Wednesday.

Avaricio actually birdied the second hole of the Treasure Hill Golf Club to launch her bid in the 54-hole championship following a so-so tied for 50th finish in the Thai LPGA Tour’s kickoff leg, the BGC Championship, two weeks ago. But she dropped three strokes on the par-4 No. 4 and never recovered, stumbling with bogeys on Nos. 8, 12 and 18 for a 39-38 that dropped her to joint 77th in a field of 96.

Go, in the thick of preparations for next week’s Queen Sirikit Cup at Manila Southwoods, held her ground with two birdies against three bogeys in the first 10 holes to stay inside the projected cutoff score. But like Avaricio, she hobbled coming home, bogeying No. 13 and holing out with back-to-back double bogeys.

She wound up with a 79 for provisional share of 83rd with the top 50 and ties after 36 holes, advancing to the final round of the THB1.2 million championship.

Vongtaveelap, meanwhile, kept her guns blazing coming off a five-shot romp in the BGC Championship, spiking her 68 with an eagle on the par-5 seventh. The Thai ace took a one-stroke lead over Ornnicha Konsunthea, who fired a 69, with half of the field still to complete play at presstime.