Mia Piccio of the Philippines is knocking on the door of her first international pro win after shooting a 2-under 70 in the second round of the ICTSI Champion Tour: 2nd Stop at the Southwoods Legends Course in Cative.

Piccio has secured a one-shot lead ahead of Korea’s Lee Jeong-Hwa, who was the first-stop winner just last week at the Splendido Taal Golf & Country Club, before Friday’s final round starts. The Symetra Tour member took early control and established a three-shot edge after birdying the 14th, but a bogey on 17th while Lee made birdie saw the lead narrow to just one.

Philippines’ Samantha Martirez used a Thursday 72 to sit at solo third. Fellow local amateur Pauline Del Rosario carded a low-round 67 composed of six birdies and one bogey, moving to a joint fourth at 3-under 141 and four shots back of the lead with Japanese Fumika Kawagishi, Yumi Takabayachi and Thai teen Kanphanitnan Muangkhumaskul.

Taiwan’s pro rookies Chen Yu-Ju (陳宇茹) and Chen Cih-Hui (陳慈惠) both finished 36 holes at 2-under 142 in a tie for seventh.

The TLPGA Tour and LPGT (Ladies Philippine Golf Tour) co-sanctioned US$75,000 event is just the second staging of the LPGT this year and sixth tournament of the 2016 TLPGA Tour.

Chen Yu-Ju wrapped up last week at the Splendido Taal Course the top performer from Taiwan, home of the TLPGA Tour, with an equal third finish. Today, she’s risen from a tie for 30th to seventh thanks to a superb 68. “I was in control most of the time. I’m happy with my consistency with the irons and putter, allowing me with great confidence and interests on the attacking shots,” said Chen. “About 80 to 90-yard range to the green is where I’m good at and created lots of chances for me today. But yeah, the putting could be better if I am to move up a little on Friday.” The highlight of Chen’s putting display was an 18-foot birdie on the 10th hole. She needed 31 putts in total.

Chen Cih-Hui hit all the greens up until the last hole, where her tee shot went left and the second shot got caught into the bunker, resulting in her only bogey for the day. She had two birdies on the back nine and signed for a 1-under 71. “My distance helped me on this course, which isn’t set too long. But my putting was a let down. I took 33 and really needed to pick up the pace tomorrow in the final round.”

Other noticeable names from Taiwan include Yeh Hsin-Ning (葉欣寧), who shot a 71 to sit in a tie for 10th, and Wu Yi-Ching (伍以晴), who added a 3-over 75 to a 3-under first-round 69 to make it even par at 142, dropping in a tie for 16th with Kuo Ai-Chen (郭艾榛), Chen Tzu-Han (陳子涵), Yu Pei-Lin (余珮琳) and four other players.

A cut was made today as the low 60 finishers who registered at 157 or better prevailed. The winner will be receiving a top prize of US$15,000 while the runner-up gets US$7,500.

Tee time for Friday’s final round will be 7:00 in the morning and the leaders’ group will tee off at 8:30.

The ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services, Inc.) is the title sponsor of the LPGT for the fourth year. And the total number of tournaments has been raised from six in 2013 to nine in 2016.