Uy ignites, Lee closes strong, Avaricio survives as South Pacific race explodes
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Daniella Uy rediscovered her scoring touch, Tiffany Lee kept her winning momentum rolling, and Chanelle Avaricio fought to contain a late-round unraveling.
Three contrasting finishes, one crowded leaderboard and 18 holes left to settle the ICTSI South Pacific Classic.
With the race for the championship wide open after an eventful second round under sweltering conditions, Uy, Lee and Avaricio shared the lead at 140, setting the stage for a potentially wild finish in the 54-hole championship. Two more players stood just a stroke behind, while another lurked two shots off the pace, leaving little room for error in what looms as a high-pressure shootout.
But it was Uy who delivered the day's most dramatic charge, uncorking five birdies over her last seven holes to fire a 67, erase a five-stroke deficit and vault from a tie for eighth into a share of the lead.
Lee, meanwhile, leaned on the confidence of a breakthrough victory last week, producing a clutch finish of her own to card a 68 and strengthen her bid for back-to-back titles. Avaricio, who appeared poised to seize control early, had to scramble to salvage a 72 after a promising start gave way to a costly late stumble.
Three players arrived at 140 by three different routes, and none could afford to ease up heading into the final round.
Uy supplied the surge, Lee the sustained momentum and Avaricio the resilience. But with Yvon Bisera and Rev Alcantara bunched at 141 and Martina Miñoza at 142, the trio's grip on the lead remains shaky.
Bisera carded a 69 to join Alcantara, who slipped to a 72 after opening with a 69, while Miñoza matched her first-round 71 to stay within striking distance. With five players separated by just two strokes at the top and several others still within reach, the championship is shaping up as a test of nerve, precision and putting on the final day.
Harmie Constantino and Gretchen Villacencio stood at 144 after 70 and 71, respectively, while Chihiro Ikeda and amateur Brittany Tamayo matched 72s for joint ninth at 146. Although they face a bigger deficit, a low round could still add another twist to an already unpredictable title chase.
For now, however, the spotlight falls on the leading six, with Bisera particularly dangerous on a course she calls home and where her familiarity could prove decisive in the closing stretch.
Uy has perhaps the most compelling storyline. After struggling to find consistency with her driving at Pueblo de Oro last week, she focused on keeping the ball in the fairway this time – and the adjustment paid dividends when she caught fire late in the round.
“I’ve been working on my swing a lot. My drives at Pueblo de Oro last week were like everywhere. So this week, I just wanted to place the ball in the fairway,” said Uy, whose late assault transformed her title prospects almost overnight.
Her charge has also put her within 18 holes of a breakthrough after a lengthy spell away from serious contention. Asked when she last found herself in the hunt for a title, Uy admitted she could hardly remember.
“I had no idea,” she said.
That perspective appears to have shaped her approach to the final round. Rather than dwell on the possibility of ending her slump, Uy intends to concentrate on execution instead of the leaderboard.
“My target score? No, I'm not gonna focus on the results. I'll focus on my targets and on myself, but not my scores,” she said.
Lee, by contrast, heads into the final round riding the confidence of a player who has just rediscovered the winning touch. Her two-stroke victory over Bisera at Pueblo de Oro last week snapped a two-year title drought, and she has carried that renewed belief into Davao.
After birdies on Nos. 2 and 3, Lee negotiated a roller-coaster back nine, trading two birdies for two bogeys before finding another gear when it mattered most. Birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 capped a strong finish, lifted her to 140 and kept her in position to claim consecutive victories.
“I was playing really badly until I made two chip-ins, including one on No. 17,” said Lee, whose late flourish gave her a genuine chance to extend her winning streak heading into the final round.
“Those birdies, including the one on No. 12 from the bunker, were more about luck. They were very unexpected,” she added.
Set for a showdown with Uy and Avaricio, Lee said she was more thrilled than nervous about the prospect of playing alongside the two golfers she admires.
“I’m very excited to play with them because I look up to both of them,” Lee said.
If Uy surged into contention and Lee finished with authority, Avaricio's round was a story of early promise and late damage control.
She birdied three of the first seven holes to maintain her grip on the pace and appeared on course to carry that control into the closing stretch. But the back nine turned into a struggle, with a three-putt on No. 13 followed by a double bogey on No. 14 after an errant drive that accidentally hit a gallery member.
Avaricio's lead was suddenly under threat, and the challenge became one of limiting the damage. A crucial birdie on No. 16 helped her steady the round and salvage an even-par 72, keeping her level with Uy and Lee rather than allowing the late stumble to push her out of the lead.
“I was actually playing decently at the front,” said Avaricio, who nevertheless took encouragement from her ability to recover after the costly mistakes. “But I struggled at the back, made a three-putt on No. 13 and made a double on No. 14, but the rest, I was very much consistent.”
The challenge now is to put together a steadier round from start to finish, particularly on greens that have tested the field's touch and judgment.
“Siguro aware lang sa alignment as to where I want to place my ball, then sa putting, honestly, sobrang hirap basahin ng greens. So, hopefully, more putts will drop tomorrow,” she said, bracing for a grind-it-out battle.
Waiting in the wings is Bisera, whose position just one shot off the lead makes her more than a supporting character in the looming shootout. The local campaigner knows the course well, and her history of late-round charges in past victories gives her added reason to believe she can turn the tables.
Her main concern has been the putter. After struggling on the greens through the first 36 holes, Bisera knows that converting more opportunities could be the difference between another near-miss and a title-winning finish.
“I just need my putts to go in tomorrow,” said Bisera, who is banking on both her familiarity with the layout and a sharper touch on the greens.
“Saka kailangan kong mag-under. Siguro pwede na 'yun para makuha ko 'yung panalo.”
That is the challenge confronting the entire leading pack: make the putts, avoid the costly mistakes and seize the crucial moments when the pressure rises. TMT
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