The field battled through strong winds for the second straight day and had to endure intermittent rains with Miguel, 14, toughening up in the last four holes to produce a 75 spiked by a final-hole birdie and surging from joint fourth to the top of the heap at 152, two ahead of Kristoffer Arevalo and Josh Jorge.
Bernice, on the other hand, kept her game in check from start to finish, rebounding from miscues with clutch birdies and submitting a tough 73 card that shoved her past erstwhile leader Junia Gabasa at 147 in the women’s side of the Championship Division of the event presented by MVP Sports Foundation.
Gabasa, who led Bernice by two Friday, blew it early with a 40 start but the Cebuana bet battled back with a 36 to salvage a 76 for a 148, just one stroke off the new leader. Rianne Malixi also squandered a 36 start with a 42, her 78 dropping her eight strokes off Bernice at 155.
“I’m happy with my short game and enjoyed most of it,” said Miguel, a Grade 9 De La Salle-Zobel student who topped the Pradera World Qualifying Amateur Championship recently. “I had some troubles but I somehow managed it.”
The same could not be said of his rivals as Arevalo bogeyed the 17th for a 74 and Jorge fumbled with a closing 40 for a 75 for a pair 154s as the gusts continued to bedevil the games of the contenders, including opening day leader Sean Ramos.
The back-to-back winner in Cangolf Am Open and NGAP Northern Luzon Regional held sway with a 36 but fell apart in severe conditions at the back, limping with a 45 for an 81. He slipped to joint fifth at 156 with Koreans Jung Jae Hyun and Kim Tae Soo, who made a 78 and 80, respectively, and Aidric Chan, who turned in a 79.
Lanz Uy also struggled with a backside 40 for a 78 for solo fourth at 155 heading to what promises to be a wild final 18 holes of the event held as part of the PLDT National Amateur Tour and sponsored by Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments.
“I played well today and came up with a number of good pars,” said Bernice, who will try to lead a family sweep in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.
Winner of a pro tournament at Beverly Place in 2016, Bernice said she would opt for conservative play in the last round to boost her title bid. “I’ll just try to enjoy my game but will do the best that I can.”