LUBAO, Pampanga – Thai Ornicha Konsunthea sizzled in an early start then bucked the strong wind late in the round to churn out a bogey-free four-under 68 and wrest a two-stroke lead over a late-charging Dottie Ardina and six others at the start of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Ladies Classic here yesterday.
Konsunthea birdied four of the last six holes at the front, spiking his solid start with a near-ace on No. 8 then survived the exacting conditions at the back with a run of pars that put her in front of stellar field with a 32-36 card at the flat but challenging Pradera Verde layout.
“I thought it was a hole-in-one,” said Konsunthea of his superb 9-iron tee-shot on the 146-yard hole. “The wind was strong and the greens are a bit slow. It’s good I made this round.”
While the Bangkok native, who tied for ninth in the opening leg of the 2019 Ladies Philippine Golf Tour season at John Hay last October, leaned on a strong start to seize control on a day before her 22nd birthday, Ardina put on a scorching windup when things got a lot tougher to get back into the mix after blowing a fine start with four bogeys in a seven-hole stretch from No. 5.
But the LPGA Tour-bound ace rallied with a pair of back-to-back birdies from Nos. 14 and 17 to crowd Thais Chonlada Chayanun, Trichat Cheenglab, Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Chankansim Khamborn and Chommapat Pongthanarak and compatriot Princess Superal at second at 70.
