Oct 27, 2026
Constantino catches hot-starting Avaricio at 70; Kim in pursuit
DAVAO CITY – Harmie Constantino and Chanelle Avaricio matched two-under 70s in contrasting fashion in a windy Tuesday here, erasing what initially looked like a dominant opening round for Avaricio and setting the stage for a wide-open title race at the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic.
Constantino surged into a share of the first round lead by holing out with a birdie on the 18th, capitalizing just moments after Avaricio stumbled with a costly miscue on No. 17.
The dramatic finish locked the pair at the top of the leaderboard, just one stroke ahead of South Korea’s Kim Seoyun, who missed forcing a three-way deadlock after a late mistake on the front nine, settling for a 71 at the Apo Golf and Country Club.
With Princess Superal carding a 73, and Yvon Bisera, Daniella Uy and amateur Johanna Uyking at joint fifth with 74, another pressure-packed battle loomed in the last 36 holes of the P1.25 million championship wrapping up the eight-leg Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.
Rev Alcantara struggled with a 76 for joint eighth with Sarah Ababa, while Tffany Lee saw her hopes of a stronger finish take a hit after an error-strewn backside 41, leaving her with a 77.
For a while, Avaricio, coming off a one-shot victory over Lee at South Pacific last week, played as if she has found another gear – and the rest of the field may need something special to keep pace.
In sweltering conditions, with the wind coming into play early afternoon, the 29-year-old ace looked every bit a player in the zone – sharp off the tee, steady when the course demanded patience and ruthless when birdie opportunities presented themselves.
She birdied the first two holes and capped her flawless frontside stint with another pair of birdies, building a commanding lead over her nearest pursuer. But Apo bit back a bit at the back as Avaricio found the last two par-3s doubly challenging, bogeying them without hitting any more birdies for contrasting nines of 32-38.
Two groups behind, Constantino also sizzled at the front with two birdies but went on a roller-coaster ride in the difficult back nine, ending up with two bogeys against the same number of birdies, including on the last that salvaged her a 34-36 for joint lead.
Kim, back in the LPGT fold after skipping last week’s stage, also posted a two-under running card after 10 holes from the back, but bogeyed the seventh, to settle for a 71.
A strong start gave way to a frustrating back nine for Avaricio, whose solid putting early in the round helped her post a good score before mishits and missed putts disrupted her momentum.
“I putted really well on the front nine, making just 12 putts, which helped me shoot a good score,” said Avaricio. “But I struggled at the back.” Despite the late-round setbacks, Avaricio stressed the importance of staying focused and taking each hole as it comes, especially on a course that demands precision and patience.
“I tried to stay in the moment because every hole is different. The course is very narrow and challenging, so you have to be patient and confident. At the same time, you need to be mindful of every shot and focus on executing it well,” she said.
Constantino turned in a 70 despite struggling with her tee shots and irons, leaning on a sharp short game to put herself in early title contention.
She said her putting proved crucial as she repeatedly salvaged pars despite missing greens and failing to find her rhythm with her longer clubs.
“I think my putting worked really well today. I didn’t hit a lot of greens, but I chipped and putted very well,” said Constantino.
Rather than pointing to any particular adjustment or standout aspect of her game, she credited her ability to recover and save strokes around the greens.
“Nothing specific, really. I think I just saved a lot of pars,” she said.
Despite struggling with a locked right shoulder overnight, Kim bounced back with medication, pain relief cream, and extensive stretching to card a one-under round.
Reflecting on her solid performance off the tee, Kim said: "My tee-shots were pretty solid, and I hit all the fairways. I had a great feeling with that, which helped me hit well even as the greens got better."
Having racked up several runner-up and top-three finishes in the past, the golfer feels more ready than ever to claim her first major win.
"I’ve had a lot of second- or third-place finishes in the past, but I feel more confident each year," she said. "I really enjoy playing in this tournament with such good players, and I know I can handle it. Hopefully, I can play the same way tomorrow." TMT
