Singson rises above challenges to lead in China LPGA

MANILA, Philippines – Mafy Singson overcame numerous challenges – emotional stress, lack of practice and a shaky start – to fire a stunning 68, finding herself the bewildered leader after 18 holes of the Golf Liquor Guangdong Women’s Open in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China Wednesday.

Despite a double bogey on No. 10, where she teed off at the Zhuhai Lakewood Golf Club course, and a bogey on the following hole, Singson managed to recover brilliantly. She birdied No. 13 and came through with a remarkable pitch-in eagle on the par-4 17th.

Riding on the momentum of that spectacular shot, she finished her front nine with a fiery flourish, birdying four of the last six holes to card a 32-36.

Singson, whose campaign is sponsored by ICTSI, found herself atop the 117-player field in this 54-hole tournament, the fifth leg of the 12-stage China LPGA Tour. She led Runzhi Pang and Gengshan Li by one stroke, both of whom posted 69s in similar fashions (34-35).

Thais Kultida Pramphun and Chonlada Chayanun, along with Taiwan’s Chieh Ning Hung and China’s Li Lu, turned in 70s to tie for fourth place.

Laurea Duque also made a comeback, recovering from a backside 38 with a 35 to finish with a 73, placing her tied for 30th, five strokes behind Singson.

This performance marked a significant turnaround for Singson, who had failed to advance in the Beijing Women’s Challenge, another CLPGA Tour event, two weeks ago. After finishing second to Sarah Ababa in the LPGT kickoff leg at Apo, Singson struggled with mediocre finishes on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, placing 10th at Palos Verdes, tying for seventh at Caliraya Springs, and missing the cut in the Luisita International, a co-sanctioned event of the LPGA of Taiwan Tour and LPGT.

Choosing to skip the LPGT event in Cabanatuan City this week, Singson hoped to rebound from her Beijing setback. However, upon arriving in China over the weekend, she discovered her golf set was missing, left behind in Manila. Efforts to retrieve the set before the practice round were unsuccessful due to travel restrictions to China, but she finally received her clubs on Monday, giving her a chance to familiarize herself with the Zhuhai layout.

Despite her initial double-bogey-bogey start, Singson dominated the par-5 13th and hit a pitch-in eagle on No. 17 to regain her confidence. She then played the next 10 holes in four-under, turning misfortune into a blessing.

Meanwhile, in Taiwan, Daniella Uy birdied the ninth to salvage an even-par 72 but trailed local ace Hsin Lee and Japanese Harumi Yoshikuwa by four strokes at the start of the Taiwan Prosperity Ladies Open at the Wu Fong Golf Course in Taichung City, also on Wednesday.

Starting at the backside, the reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner positioned herself well with back-to-back birdies from No. 15. However, a double bogey on the 18th and a roller-coaster frontside featuring three birdies against three bogeys left her with a pair of 36s, sharing 14th place, three shots behind Lee. Lee highlighted her backside with a five-birdie run from No. 13, cushioning the impact of a frontside 37 for a 68, which Yoshikuwa matched with four consecutive birdies from No. 4.

The 54-hole tournament offers a total prize fund of NT$3 million, with Uy seeking a strong finish against the region’s top players, including the favored PK Kongkraphan, who dominated the Luisita International field in Tarlac last April.