SILANG, Cavite — Rianne Malixi finished strongly with a birdie in the last four holes to shoot a second-straight 73 and seize a three-shot lead going into the final round of the ICTSI Riviera Championship at the Langer course in Silang, Cavite Wednesday.
Malixi did not make a single birdie in the opening nine to reach the turn on 3-over 38, but made two birdies against a lone bogey to get to 4-over 146.
First-round leader Mafy Singson and Harmie Constantino are tied for second on 149.
Singson, who shot a 72 Tuesday, made five straight bogeys from No. 2 and had one birdie against two bogeys in the back nine.
Constantino, on the other hand, hung tough with six straight pars at dusk to salvage a 73.
Sarah Ababa and Chihiro Ikeda actually made it a four-way fight majority of the way, hinting at a wild second-round finish.
But while the amateurs kept their poise in the most challenging conditions, the pros wavered.
Ababa dropped from second to fourth with bogeys on the last two holes for a second straight 75 and 150.
Ikeda ended up with a woeful 80 on an error-filled backside 43 for a 154 at eighth.
Laurea Duque, another amateur, shot a 75 for a 151 while Sunshine Baraquiel fumbled with a 78 after a 75 to drop to joint sixth with Korean amateur Kim Seoyun, who struggled with a 77, at 153.
