Avaricio fires 67 as Uy, Castil mount chase

1 of 2

BUKIDNON — Chanelle Avaricio summoned the same brilliance that earned her a dominant Forest Hills triumph, shooting a bogey-free 67 in a composed, clinical start to the ICTSI Del Monte Championship on Tuesday.

With her driver and putter both working in harmony, the former Order of Merit champion carved a two-stroke lead over defending champion Daniella Uy after 18 holes, rekindling a budding rivalry that promises a thrilling climax over the next two rounds.

Navigating Del Monte’s tight, tree-lined fairways for the first time, Avaricio showed no signs of discomfort and, after opening with seven steady pars, ignited her round with a birdie blitz starting at No. 8 and reeling off three straight before closing with two more birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 to cap a five-under round.

“I didn’t expect to have no bogeys today because it’s my first time here and the course is pretty tight,” said Avaricio, who has been diligently working on her swing mechanics and putting stroke following a rocky return on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The Del Monte Championship marks her first real crack at redemption since finishing sixth at Negros Occidental, an unfamiliar spot for the usually consistent Avaricio who skipped the Caliraya Springs and Bacolod legs.

“My driving and putting really clicked, and hopefully I can maintain this momentum,” she added, noting that she will “keep the ball in play and keep giving myself birdie chances.”

Lurking just behind is Uy, who carded a 69 but rued a costly bogey on the 17th that kept her from pulling within a stroke.

After a quiet front nine with one birdie and one bogey, Uy surged to life on the back with four birdies in eight holes, briefly applying pressure on Avaricio before stumbling late.

“I was just trying to survive today and focus on the process,” said Uy, whose gritty performance hinted at the form that won her this title two years ago.

“I hit a lot of fairways and greens, and luckily my putting worked today,” she added.

Having also endured a seventh-place finish at Marapara, Uy said she aims to “stay locked in on each shot, hit greens, read putts well, and take what the course gives me.”

The Avaricio-Uy duel, forged from their shared status as past champions and Philippine golf standouts, now sets the tone for a riveting battle heading into the second round.

Young pro Velinda Castil, meanwhile, quietly reminded the field and the home crowd why she remains one of the country’s most promising talents after carding a composed 70 highlighted by three birdies against a single bogey.

“I just played my game, no expectations,” said the 17-year-old Bukidnon native who turned pro at 15 after a joint runner-up finish here two years ago.

“Pero may pressure talaga, kasi andito ako sa hometown ko and maraming nag-e-expect na maganda ang laro ko,” she added.

Despite the nerves, she leaned on her putter to save multiple pars and stay within striking distance of a breakthrough win, though she admitted to one miscue with a rare three-putt on the par-3 seventh from long range.

A tightly packed group at one-under 71 features seasoned contenders Sarah Ababa, Tiffany Lee and Harmie Constantino, all aiming to mount their own charge in the coming rounds.

Constantino, in particular, is overdue for a big finish after an up-and-down stretch on tour following a four-victory romp last year.

Another local hopeful, Martina Miñoza, showed early spark with back-to-back birdies from No. 10 but faded to a 72 in a tie with Kristine Fleetwood and Lesley Icoy at seventh, while Florence Bisera, tipped as a pre-tournament favorite after consecutive victories at Marapara and in Thailand, struggled to a 73 alongside Marvi Monsalve.

Mafy Singson, who edged Bisera in sudden death to capture the Eagle Ridge title, also found the going tough and carded a 74 to drop six strokes off the pace.

With two rounds still to play, the PHP 1,000,000 championship is shaping into a gripping three-way race as Avaricio’s poise, Uy’s power and Castil’s promise take center stage, but with narrow fairways, unpredictable greens and pressure rising with every hole, anything can still happen in Bukidnon.