MIAOLI County, Taiwan – Daniella Uy stumbled at the finish and settled for a two-under 70, moving five rungs to joint 15th but falling nine strokes behind local ace Hsieh Yu Ling in the second round of the Party Ladies Golfers Open at the National Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

The former Junior World champion fought back from an opening 74 with birdies in the first three holes but just couldn’t keep her momentum, losing her rhythm a bit and dropping strokes on tough Nos. 6 and 9.

But she recovered her touch and gunned down back-to-back birdies from No. 11 but missed completing a three-under card with another bogey on the 16th for that pair of 35s that gave her a 36-hole total of 144.

“I got too excited after I birdied the first three holes and struggled on my approach shots in some holes,” said Uy, out to improve her joint 45th finish last year.

Though she lay too far behind new leader Hsieh, who fired a bogey-free 66 to wrest a huge five-stroke lead over compatriot Ching Ling Chang at 135, Uy vowed to put up a stronger finish for at least a crack in the top 10 in this $100,000 event co-sanctioned by Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and sponsored by ICTSI.

Hsieh, who hit four birdies against a bogey in the first round, strung up a pair of 33s at the rolling layout and stormed past a slew of others with Chang moving to solo second at 140 after a 71 and Lee Tai Ling matching par 72 for a 141 in a tie with Chiu Ling Ti and Thai Aripchaya Yubol, winner of the Manila Ladies Masters at Manila Golf last April, who both shot 70s.

“I played a relaxed game today (yesterday) but stayed focused all throughout,” said the 27-year-old Hsieh, No. 7 in the current TLPGA Order of Merit ranking.

Amateur Chia Ju Yeh made the biggest jump from joint 35th to a share of third as she sizzled with a 67.

Pauline del Rosario, who gunned down two late birdies to save a 72 and emerge the best Filipina placer after 18 holes of the three-day event, limped with four bogeys against two birdies for a 74 as she slipped from joint 15th to a share of 33rd and dropped out of the title race at 146, 11 shots off the pace.

Chanelle Avaricio bounced back from a 76 with a 72 for a 148 and made the 50-plus ties cut at 150 while while Cyna Rodriguez bowed out with a 79 for a 155 and Marvi Monsalve made a 78 for a 158.