BAGUIO – Thai Waralee Atcharerk fumbled with a double-bogey on the last hole and settled for a 69, enabling five others to gain a share of the lead at the start of the ICTSI Camp John Hay Ladies Championship here yesterday.

Atcharerk appeared headed to seizing control of the compact field after rebounding from a one-over 36 card at the front with three birdies but dumped her tee shot into the greenside bunker on the par-3 18th of the John Hay layout and three-putted for 5.

That kept Princess Superal and amateur Mariel Tee, Thais Chakansim Khamborn and Chommapat Pongthanarak and Korean amateur Lee Ji Hyeon in step with the 18-year-old Atcharerk, who launched her pro career with a joint eighth place finish at the ICTSI Champion Tour at Midlands last July.

“I just want to play my game. Not expecting anything big,” said Atcharerk, who also dropped two strokes on No. 4 and made a bogey on No. 7 against two birdies at the front before rattling off birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 5 to take charge.

Tee, in a flight ahead of the last group composed of Atcharerk and Superal, also holed out with a bogey for a 35-34 card while Superal, Khamborn, Pongthanarak and Lee all parred the tricky closing hole, leading to the most crowded ever start to a Ladies Philippine Golf Tour event in years.

The six stood just a stroke ahead of Cyna Rodriguez and Thai Onkanok Soisuwan with the former, winner here in 2014, rallying with 32 to save a 70 and the latter missing joining the packed leaderboard with a last-hole bogey for a pair of 35s.

Superal, who dominated here as an amateur in 2013, actually wrested control early with birdies on the first two holes, only to lose her putting touch, resulting to bogeys on Nos. 4 and 6 before closing the frontside on a birdie-bogey stint. She bogeyed the 10th but birdied the par-5 16th to stay in early contention in the P1.5 million event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“I made so many errors on putting but I’ll try to handle it right tomorrow (today),” said Superal, seeking her third win this after ruling the Midlands and Riviera stops in the recently-concluded LPGT’s sixth season. “I’ll try to get more birdies and stay on the fairways and be consistent on the green.”

Tee, meanwhile, turned in an impressive two-birdie, two-bogey effort that could hint at a big performance for last year’s US Kids Golf Teen World titlist in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZGm PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.

“I have a good experience with my game and my coach told me to just play, enjoy and learn from the pros,” said Tee.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, rued her poor start but vowed to strike back in the last two days in a bid to snap out of a long title spell in the circuit she used to dominate.

“I couldn’t control my game and struggled in the first nine holes. But after I birdied No. 10, I regained my confidence. Tomorrow (today), I’ll try to minimize my mistakes and try to hit more birdies,” said Rodriguez.

Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang and fellow Thai Omicha Konsunthea turned in identical 71s while four others, including Numa Gulyanamitta and fellow Thai Kamonwan Lueamsri and Pinays Apple Fudolin and Gretchen Villacencio, carded identical 72s while The Country Club mainstay Sofia Chabon charged back with a closing 31 for a 73 for joint 15th with teammate Mafy Singson and Thai Goonlacha Paiboonpong on the short but tricky course that surprisingly held its ground against the ladies of Philippine tour.