RP ladies eighth in Sirikit Cup

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines failed to mount a final round charge and wound up with a 147 for eighth place in the 32nd Queen Sirikit Cup ruled by South Korea for the fourth straight year at the Hamilton Golf Club in New Zealand Friday.

Lovelyn Guioguio carded a one-over 73 as she took the cudgels for Team RP as top scorer and ICTSI teammate Chihiro Ikeda groped for form with the reigning SEA Games individual gold medalist settling for a 74.

 Cebu’s Irina Gabasa failed to count for the second straight day with a 76.

The Philippines, whose campaign was sanctioned by the Women’s Golf Association of the Phils. (WGAP) and sponsored by ICTSI, wound up with a 445, 25 shots behind Korea, which fired a solid eight-under 136 for a 420 to beat two-day leader New Zealand by seven strokes.

 The hosts wavered with a 146 after two 141s and dropped to second with a 427.

Former champion Australia had a 144 and placed third with a 430 followed by Thailand (144-432), Taiwan (136-433), China (146-438), Japan (147-442), RP (147-445), Hong Kong (149-452), Singapore (150-457), India (147-458) and Malaysia (159-472).

Hyo Joo Kim completed Korea’s romp as she ran away with the individual title with a 206 after a 65, beating Taiwan’s Hsuan Yu Yao (66-214) by eight shots while Thai Yupaporn Kawinpakorn ended up third with a 215 after a 72.

Ikeda, who anchored RP’s fifth place finish in Indonesia last year, finished with a 222 while Guioguio and Gabasa had 225 and 229, respectively.