Phl Ladies Open lures foreign aces

MANILA, Philippines – Thai veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn and reigning Malaysian Amateur champion Diana Tham brace for a showdown with the local aces when they compete in the 2011 Philippine Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship firing off Jan. 12 at The Country Club in Laguna.

Kawinpakorn and Tham have confirmed participation in the three-day event, gearing up for a clash with the likes of old rivals Chihiro Ikeda, Dottie Ardina and Mia Piccio, who will spearhead the ICTSI team’s title campaign, and a host of others raring to spoil the big guns’ party.

Cyna Rodriguez, another ICTSI mainstay who is based in the US, actually looms as the player to beat as the Univ. of Southern California sophomore goes for a back-to-back title romp after posting a seven-stroke victory last year at Manila Southwoods.

But with Kawinpakorn, also the reigning Thai Ladies champion, and Tham in the fold and Ikeda and company raring to start the new year with a win, the chase for the crown is tipped to go down-to-the-wire this time over a course that changes in character in every swirl of the wind.

Kawinpakorn fell short of her title bid in the Philippine Amateur early in the year, losing to Irina Gabasa of Cebu, while Tham is priming up for a stint in LPGA’s first tournament next year after topping the recent Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia qualifying.

The organizing Women Golf Association of the Philippines also expects a number of Korean players and those from the SEA region to join the country’s premier ladies amateur championship along with the other leading local bets from the country’s top golf clubs.

Registration is ongoing. For details and listup, contact WGAP at tel. Nos. +639178272019 +639189380709 and fax +632-531-9190 or email at [email protected] or log on to wgap-golf.com.

The event also features the Class A and Class B competitions after the classification on the second day. Playing are entries from Sta. Elena, Eagle Ridge, Soutwoods,Valley Golf, Orchard, Riviera, Tagaytay Highlands, Alta Vista, Forest Hills, Pueblo de Oro, Cangolf, Del Monte, Navy and Southwoods.