Sarah Ababa emerged from a day of shifting fortunes and swirling winds to seize a two-stroke lead with a gutsy 71 at the start of the ICTSI Summit Point Championship here Tuesday.

The reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion overcame an unsettled start with two quick birdies, then held her nerve through a demanding stretch of rain-softened fairways and gusty conditions, stringing together a series of brave pars to finish as the unlikely leader at Summit Point Golf and Country Club.

“In these conditions, you really have to hit the fairway since preferred lies are in effect — that way you can attack the green and set up good putts,” said Ababa, who lost in sudden death at Lakewood, placed fourth at Caliraya Springs, and finished fifth at Pinewoods.

“My driving was super steady, and my putting was good, too,” added the veteran Davaoeña shotmaker, who skipped the fourth leg at Pradera Verde and returned to the Tour with renewed hunger after the long break.

“I don’t really expect to lead. I just want to enjoy my game, especially since I missed the Pradera Verde leg,” said Ababa, who hopes to sustain the same steady form over the next two days and make a run at the championship of the P1-million event.

Harmie Constantino, runaway winner at Caliraya Springs, carded a 73 to share second after mixing two birdies with three bogeys. She had a chance to move into solo second but gave back a stroke with a bogey on the difficult finishing hole.

Tiffany Lee, a former winner at Splendido Taal, also ended with a 73 after an eventful round. She birdied her first two holes to take control but was quickly dragged back by a double bogey on the par-5 fifth and a bogey on the next. She regained her composure with a string of pars and birdied No. 15 to return to even par, only to bogey the challenging 18th and slip into a share of second.

Gretchen Villacencio likewise finished at 73 after recovering from a rough start. She bogeyed her first two holes but battled back with birdies on Nos. 5 and 7 before dropping another stroke on No. 15, turning in a 36-37 card.

Constantino, Lee and Villacencio played together in the first round.

Amateur Matet Salivio flashed her potential despite a three-bogey start through 12 holes. She rallied with a birdie-bogey-birdie finish from No. 15 to salvage a 74 and tie Apple Fudolin, who shot a 36-38, for fifth.