Singson ties for 26th as Thai ace claims CLPGA title

MANILA, Philippines — Mafy Singson birdied the last hole to salvage a 72 and finish tied for 26th in the Chongqing Women’s Open ruled by Thailand’s Natthakritta Vongtaveelap at KingRun Nanshan Golf Club in Chongqing on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

Singson struggled to find her rhythm early, grappling with both erratic form and sweltering conditions. After a setback on No. 5, she steadied herself with a birdie on the eighth but dropped another shot on No.11.

She bounced back with a birdie on the 13th before faltering again with a bogey on No. 15. Undeterred, she capitalized on the closing par-5, draining a birdie to card a pair of 36s for a 54-hole total of 215.

She finished 14 strokes behind Vongtaveelap, who unleashed a sizzling final-round 64 to secure a two-shot victory over fellow Thai Siri Patchana with a 15-under 201 aggregate.

Patchana settled for a 203 after a 65, while China’s Ying Xu placed third at 204 following a 69.

Chanelle Avaricio matched Singson’s closing 72 but ended tied for 38th at 218.

Earlier, fellow Filipinas Daniella Uy and Yvon Bisera fell short of advancing.

Despite the modest results, the Filipino contingent remains upbeat and determined to rebound. With a brief pause from the local circuit, they are shifting focus to the upcoming Tianjin Women’s Open, where they aim to better adjust to the conditions and deliver stronger performances.

Having gained valuable experience from their outing in China, the Filipinas are confident of bouncing back and making a more impactful showing in Tianjin.

Over at the LPGA Tour, Sei Young Kim held on to her lead at the JM Eagle LA Championship in California, surviving a tense back-nine struggle to card a 71 and maintain a two-stroke advantage after three rounds on Saturday.

Kim looked poised to pull away early, firing a solid five-under 31 on the front nine. However, her momentum faded on the back nine as she stumbled with four consecutive bogeys from No. 14 in challenging, windy conditions. The slip allowed Hannah Green and several others to close the gap, setting up an intriguing final-round showdown.

With a 54-hole total of 201, Kim leads by two shots over Green and Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, who both posted impressive 67s to reach 203. Jessica Porvasnik (68) and Ina Yoon (71) are also tied at 13-under, keeping the competition tight heading into the final round of the $3.75-million championship at the Caballero Country Club.

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