Fiery Ikeda rallies with 59, wins by 4

BACOLOD, Philippines  – Chihiro Ikeda fought back from four points down then sizzled with a birdie-binge at the backside to beat Jayvie Agojo by four points on a closing 59 and capture the Southern Ladies golf crown at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Ikeda cashed in on a three-shot swing on No. 10 to draw level, pounced on a three-putt bogey miscue by Agojo on No. 14 to seize control then drained three straight birdies from No. 15 to post the unexpected runaway victory.

The spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad closed out with 167 Molave points, including 53 and 55 in the first two rounds, adding the Southern Ladies title to her Philippine Ladies Open romp last month where she beat Dottie Ardina by six strokes at The Country Club.

Agojo, primed up for a big win from a long layoff after posting a four-point lead over Ikeda heading into the final round, kept a three-point lead after nine holes but blew it all when she nearly drove out of bounds on No. 10 and wound up with a double bogey.

She limped home with 51 points and a 163 in the three-day tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines and sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Kaiser International, Directories Phils. Corp. (DPC) Yellow Pages, Hans Brumann Jeweler, WWWExpress, DHL Express and Business Inn, the official hotel.

“I just played my game and stayed relaxed despite down by four points,” said Ikeda, who birdied No. 10 from 20 feet and whose sizzling 59-point output was four-under 66 in stroke play. “I didn’t think I was behind and it’s a good think that my short game and putting clicked.”

So solid was Ikeda’s iron game and putting at the back, needing just five putts in the last four holes, three of which she birdied from superb approach shots.

The win was Ikeda’s second major early in the season and it somehow atoned for her missed cut stint in last week’s TCC Invitational with Andie Unson taking the low amateur honors over Agojo.

“Ikeda showed resiliency and composure in her victory. She knew she can come back no matter how big the deficit is,” said ICTSI and national women’s team coach Bong Lopez. “I just hope she continues to improve and polish her putting stroke.”

Unson placed third with a 162 after a 55 or one-under 69 while Sarah Ababa also shot 55 points and took fourth place with a 158.

Ardina, who edged Ikeda by one to win the crown in Iloilo last year, hobbled with 49 points for a 155.

Ikeda also led Agojo, Unson and Ardina to the team championship with 226 PAL Stableford points, beating Del Monte (229) and Bacolod (242).

The other division winners were Arianne Salvador of Valley Golf (Class A-137 points), Lilibeth de Villa of Tagaytay Highlands (Class B-104 points), Leni Cabili of Aguinaldo (Class C-104 points), Sol Antonio of Villamor (Class D-83 points) and Sonnie Montelibano of Bacolod (seniors-83 points).