GUCE WOBBLES, DROPS TO 14TH AS FRYE CLINGS ON

MANILA, Philippines — Clariss Guce struggled to regain her footing after an early misstep and faltered with a 74, tumbling from second to a share of 14th after 36 holes of the Great Lakes Championship in Harbor Springs, Michigan on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

After catching overnight leader Laney Frye with a birdie on the first hole, Guce’s bid for another Epson Tour crown quickly unraveled with a double bogey on No. 2. She failed to mount a comeback, stringing together a series of pars that failed to stop her slide down the leaderboard, as the rest of the field attacked The Highlands course with aggressive, low-scoring rounds.

The US-based Filipina, a two-time Epson Tour leg winner, added a bogey on the par-4 13th and settled for a pair of 37s, dropping to a 141 aggregate, now five shots off Frye heading into the final round of the $250,000 Epson Tour event.

Her long game woes persisted as she hit only six fairways, after missing seven in the previous round. While she managed to reach 13 greens in regulation, her putting woes resurfaced, needing 33 strokes on the greens after a sharp 29-putt performance in her opening 67.

Frye, despite an erratic round, held her ground with a 70 behind five birdies against three bogeys for a 136 total, keeping a narrowing grip on the lead.

Germany’s Isi Gabsa emerged as the main challenger at 137 after a blazing 68, highlighted by a frontside 32, while Riley Smyth and Julia Gregg surged with rounds of 66 and 68, respectively, to sit at 138.

Alice Hodge also charged back with a 66 to join a six-player logjam at 139, tied with Carla Mulet (68), Erica Shepherd (69), Erika Hara (70), Gina Kim, and Valery Plata, who both signed off with 71s.

Tomi Arejola bowed out after a 76, undone by bogeys on Nos. 4 and 5 coming home, and missed the cut by one at 147 after a solid opening 71.

Samantha Bruce rebounded with a 73 following a 77 but still fell short, while Pauline del Rosario , backed by ICTSI, also failed to make the weekend despite improving to a 74 after a first-round 79.

Over at the LPGA Tour, a dramatic finish loomed at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Belmont, Michigan, where six players are tied for the lead at 205 after 54 holes.

Former major winner Lexi Thompson, seeking her first win in years, carded a 68 to join Carlota Ciganda (69), Madelene Sagstrom (67), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (68), Sofia Garcia (68), and Hye Jin Choi (69) in one of the tightest final-round set-ups in Tour history.

Karis Davison shot a 71 for solo seventh at 207, just two behind, while four others, including major champion Celine Boutier,  lurk at 208 and remain within striking distance. Boutier returned a 72 to tie Megan Khang (69), Chanettee Wannasaen (69) and Bronte Law (71) at eighth.

2025-06-15T03:39:07Z