Ikeda arranges semis duel vs top seed

MANILA, Philippines - Chihiro Ikeda knocked off fourth seed Julianne Alvarez with an emphatic 4 and 3 victory to arrange a semifinal showdown with top seed Lydia Ko in the 2011 New Zealand Women’s Amateur Golf Championship Match Play in Christchurch, New Zealand Sunday.

Ikeda, reaching peak form, gunned down two birdies and rescued pars twice at the Russley Golf Club to dominate Alvarez in their morning showdown for a spot in the Last 4 of the tournament featuring the leading players in the Asia-Pacific region.

But the Fil-Japanese spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad will be facing the most feared player in the fold, who foiled what could’ve been an all-Pinay semis with a 4 and 2 romp over Lovelynn Guioguio.

Ikeda, however, hopes to use her experience against the talented 14-year-old Ko, the reigning NZ amateur champion who topped the 72-hole stroke play competition last week.

No. 6 Caryn Khoo, meanwhile, upset third seed Jayvie Agojo in the lower half of the draw, outlasting the former Philippine Ladies Open champion on the 20th hole to clinch the other semis berth.

Second seed Cecilia Cho held off Laura Hoskin, 2&1, to set up a clash with Cho for the other finals seat.

It was a heartbreaking setback for Agojo, who had hoped to stay on track for a golden double after teaming up with Sarah Ababa to win the NZ Foursomes crown last week.

But the fifth-seed Ikeda, winner of this year’s Phl Ladies Amateur Open and the

Thailand Ladies Am titles, remains hopeful of her chances as she tries to sustain her 7&6 romp over Grace Senior in the first round a 3&2 win over Kate Chadwik in the last 16 phase.