Chihiro Ikeda gave the Philippines something to cheer about. (Photo by ALBERT GARCIA)

VIENTIANE, Laos — Chihiro Ikeda turned in a one-under par 71 to give the Philippines something to cheer about in golf in the 25th Southeast Asian Games Saturday.

On a day Dottie Ardina shot her worst round of the year, the Filipinas kept Thailand within arm’s length, trailing by four shots with two rounds remaining.

Yupaporn Kawinpakorn opened with a 69 to seize the lead in the women’s individual race and power Thailand on top in the three-to-play, two-to-count team event.

Thailand also made its move in the men’s event, leading both the individual and team standings.

The men’s team assembled a two-under par 214 card on the strength of Jhonnel Ababa’s 69 and Jude Eustaquio’s 70, but now trails Thailand by 11 shots.

Mark Fernando, who shot a 71 in the first round, slumped with a 75 and Jude Eustaquio did not count with a 76.

Thailand assembled a 204 to grab a two shot lead over Singapore at 418 with Myanmar and the Philippines tied for third at 429.

Wasin Sripattranusorn of Thailand and Jonathan Leong of Singapore shared the individual lead at seven-under par following rounds of 68.

“They are scandalously good,” sighed RP men’s coach Tommy Manotoc. “We have to score 12-under tomorrow to get it down to manageable level.”

The women’s team had a better chance of stopping another Thailand sweep.

In 2007, the Thais swept all four gold medals in golf.

Ikeda, a member of the ICTSI pool of golfers, hit 16 greens, made two birdies, saved par twice and made her only bogey on the par-4, 15th where she three-putted from 20 feet.

She could have done better if not for the hard-to-read greens. She missed two birdie putts inside 10 feet.

Ikeda, an 18-year-old daughter of a Japanese and Filipino mother, has had a breakthrough season with seven tournament wins in the United States, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

But she ranks only second to Ardina, a three-time world junior champion.

To say that Ardina played bad was an understatement.

The 16-year-old phenom skulled her second shot on the opening hole for bogey, made eight straight pars, bogeyed two of the next five holes and had a triple bogey on the sixth – her 15th hole – to finish with a 78.

Ardina could not remember the last time she made a triple or failed to make a birdie.