Southwoods seeks 4-peat in WGAP tourney

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Southwoods sets out for a record four-straight championship in the WGAP Luzvimin golf tournament which fires off Wednesday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in Bacolod.

The Southwoods ladies leaned on Regine De Guzman’s superb game and drew solid support from its mainstays to hold off their rivals from host Del Monte and complete a three-peat feat in Bukidnon last year.

But the Carmona-based squad faces a tough challenge this time with a host of others out to foil its bid in the centerpiece Diamond division of the three-category event which drew 20 teams featuring the top golfing ladies from the country’s leading clubs.

The hosts have worked double time to ensure the successful staging of the annual event organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines and give the competing teams a grand time during the three-day tournament.

De Guzman is also chasing her own four-peat in the individual competition of the event, a seven-to-play, five-to-count format using the Molave scoring system.

Southwoods, which includes Lora Roberto, Kat Gonzales, Beachie Abiera, Claire Ong, Claudine Garcia and Sandy Velhagen, actually won in Bacolod in 2008 to spark its win run, then dominated the event in Boracay in 2010 before surviving Del Monte last year.

The title chase is also expected to be fierce in the two other divisions with Sta. Elena out to defend its crown in the Ruby category against Tagaytay Highlands, Negros Occidental, Alta Vista, Camp John Hay and Cebu Country Club.

Forest Hills, on the other hand, goes all out to keep its crown in the Pearl division against Negros Occidental, Villamor, Manila Golf, Mactan Island and Riviera.