Lee bucks tough conditions to pace ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship opener

LAUREL, Batangas – Young Jiwon Lee lived up to her promise and potential, overcoming a late stumble with a crucial birdie on the last hole, salvaging a 73 and a one-stroke lead over Florence Bisera after the first 18 holes of the ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship here Tuesday.

Building on her previous success at the Lakewood Championship, which she won as an amateur, Lee took charge midway through the round with a frontside 35. However, she encountered challenges with bogeys on Nos. 13, 15, and 17, exposing some vulnerabilities in the game of the 16-year-old Korean.

Nevertheless, Lee regained her composure and birdied the tough finishing hole to separate herself from flightmate Bisera, who had mounted her own comeback with back-to-back birdies from No. 15. The Davaoeña finished with a 74, securing her position as the main challenger in the 54-hole championship put up by ICTSI.

“I really wanted to finish at two-under today after a strong frontside 35. But unfortunately, I made several bogeys on the back nine. The greens were very challenging,” said Lee.

The change in weather also impacted her performance, differing from her experience when she won the Junior PGT Luzon Series 1 last May.

“With the rainy weather, the ground is very soft, and the greens don’t offer much roll. The course plays longer under these conditions, making it more difficult,” Lee said.

Boasting drives of 240-250 yards, Lee plans to improve in the next two rounds, emphasizing the importance of staying on the fairways to avoid the difficulties of the rough.

Marvi Monsalve, who initially led with a birdie on No. 10, stayed close to Lee despite bogeys on Nos. 16, 18 and 1. She battled through the winds and birdied Nos. 2 and 7 but faltered with a double bogey on the ninth, missing a chance to share the lead.

“The weather is very challenging, with constantly changing wind directions,” said Monsalve, who fell to joint third with Chihiro Ikeda, who recorded a 38-37.

Mikha Fortuna briefly held the lead with an even-par score after 12 holes. However, the Match Play Championship winner last year struggled with the challenges of Splendido Taal, bogeying four of the last six holes to finish with a 76,