Avaricio posts joint 13th

TAIWAN — Chanelle Avaricio closed out her campaign at the Party Golfers Ladies Open with a steady two-under-par 70, capping another challenging week for the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour contingent at the Lily Golf and Country Club in Hsinchu.

Local ace Wenny Chang held off a strong finishing kick from Thailand’s PK Kongkraphan to dominate the annual event co-sanctioned by the LPGT and the Taiwan LPGA Tour. Chang fired a sparkling 66 to post a three-stroke victory.

Avaricio staged an early charge from deep down the leaderboard, mixing two birdies with a bogey on the front nine to move within reach of a Top 10 spot. She added another birdie on the par-5 11th and created several more scoring opportunities, but her putts refused to drop. She settled for a run of pars as competitors battled brisk winds and biting temperatures across the rugged par-72 layout.

Her 217 total was good for a share of 13th place — the best finish among the Filipino campaigners this week. Though short of a Top 10 result, it marked a significant improvement from her 50th-place showing last year and underscored her continued progress in regional play.

Florence Bisera, coming off a breakthrough win in Thailand, carded a 73 to end tied for 27th at 222. Princess Superal and LK Go both finished at 223 for joint 37th, with Go closing strongly with two birdies in her last four holes to salvage a 71.

Former top Philippine performer in the event Daniella Uy, who placed joint fourth in 2019, failed to find her rhythm this time. She ballooned to a 75 and slipped to 43rd with a 224 total. Mafy Singson likewise faltered with a 76 to finish 52nd at 227.

Avaricio’s round featured a brilliant birdie on the demanding par-3 eighth and a tap-in birdie on the second, though a costly three-putt on the sixth stalled her early momentum. Still, she remained upbeat, saying the conditions tested — and strengthened — her mental game.

“I learned a lot about being patient with the kind of challenges we faced,” Avaricio said.