Cebuana teen golfer leads Ladies Open tourney

CEBUANA teen golfer Lois Kaye Go scored a two-under par 70 to grab a one-stroke lead over fancied Filipina golfer Princess Superal in the first round of the Philippine Ladies Open Golf Championship at the Tagaytay Midlands in Tagaytay on Wednesday.

Go, the 16-year-old sister of amateur golf star Lloyd Jefferson Go, did the Cebu Country Club proud as she took a three-shot lead heading to the 18th before bogeying the par-5 hole to settle for a one-shot lead in the 54-hole championship.

The Cebuana ace, who turned in an impressive performance in the ICTSI-JGFP Visayas Inter-School Championship last month, bucked the dreaded Tagaytay wind and Superal’s equally impressive game.

She hit three birdies against the same number of bogeys and an eagle on the No. 16 course to lead bets from Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Australia in the prestigious event.

Superal, seeking a follow-up to her Hong Kong Ladies Amateur romp two weeks ago, birdied No. 18 from close range to string a 36-35 card in windy conditions that bedeviled other golfers in the 66-player field.

Superal also birdied No. 5 and 13 but dropped shots on Nos. 9 and 17, though the former US Girls’ Junior champion remained on track for a crack at the championship in this competition.

Yuka Saso matched par 72 for third while Pauline del Rosario, the reigning Thailand Amateur Open champion, got bothered by the wind and finished a three-over 75 in a tie with Angela Legaspi.

Sofia Chabon, another The Country Club bet, carded a 76 score for joint sixth place with Wack Wack’s Felicia Medalla. Mikha Fortuna and Kayla Nocum shared eighth place with 77s while reigning national champion Harmie Constantino skied to a 78 in a tie with Malaysian Kellie Kan.