Bianca on target with 69

MORONG, Bataan, Philippines — PK Kongkraphan of Thailand outdueled Bianca Pagdanganan at the finish, pouncing on the Filipina’s double bogey on No. 16 then birdying the 17th to grab a one-stroke lead with a 68 after 18 holes of the Anvaya Cove International here yesterday.

Pagdanganan sizzled with an eagle-birdie-birdie run from No. 10 to wrest control at five-under but dropped to a share of lead with the Thai with a double-bogey after overshooting the green on the par-3 No. 16.

The Filipina ace settled for a 69 while Taiwan’s No. 1 Ya-Chun Chang survived a rollercoaster backside of four birdies against a double bogey and a bogey to salvage a 70 for joint third with compatriot Yi-Tsen Chou and Thai Kusuma Meechai.

Taiwanese Ching Huang, a former Ladies Philippine Golf Tour winner at Midlands, and Thai Kultida Pramphun matched 71s while Hsuan-Ping Chang and fellow Taiwanese Tsai-Ching Tseng and Thais Pakin Kawinpakorn and Preenaphan Poomklay matched par 72s.

The rest of the locals wavered in tough conditions, including last year’s three-leg winner Chanelle Avaricio, who limped with a 77 in a tie with reigning LPGT OOM champion Chihiro Ikeda for joint 27th. Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy struggled with 78s with 36 holes left in the $100,000 event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and co-sanctioned by the LPGA of Taiwan.

That Kongkraphan, Pagdanganan and Chang took the top three spots was no surprise for the 69-player field made up of the top TLPGA, Thai LPGA and LPGT campaigners.