CAVINTI, Laguna. — Marvi Monsalve, due for a big finish in a career marred by shaky starts and finishes, sizzled with a three-under 69 this time, finding herself a bewildered leader in the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship at the Caliraya Springs Golf Club here Tuesday.
Monsalve used a near-impeccable iron game to shoot four birdies against a bogey and come out of a windy day in command by two strokes over Chanelle Avaricio, who turned in a two-birdie, one-bogey 71 card two weeks after besting multi-titled Princess Superal in sudden death in the inaugural ICTSI Hallow Ridge Challenge in San Pedro, Laguna.
“I played it simple, hit a lot of greens but missed a lot of putts. But I was able to drop some,” said Monsalve, who tied for eighth at Luisita and limped to 12th place at Hallow Ridge, also a first-time venue host like Caliraya of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.
“Actually, I didn’t expect much since I hardly had a practice round heading to this tournament. But I committed to my target and just played my game,” added Monsalve, who set her bid in motion with back-to-back birdies from No. 5 that negated a miscue on the fourth then capped her fine start with birdies on Nos. 15 and 17.
“It’s windy but the course is in good condition and in top shape — fairways, greens and even the bunkers, they are all taken care of,” she added.
