Cyna makes pro debut in third leg of LPG Tour

MANILA, Philippines - Cyna Rodriguez, one of the most bemedalled players of the ICTSI amateur golf stable, finally joins the big league, signing up for the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour third leg which unwraps tomorrow at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Rodriguez, winner of the Hong Kong Amateur Ladies Open last year, capped her checkered amateur career with two victories at Long Beach and in Sacramento last month and reached the first round of the match play event of the recent US Women’s Amateur Championship.

The former Philippine Ladies Open champion will thus toughen up the field vying in the third leg of the inaugural ladies pro tour put up by long-time golf backer International Container Terminal Services, Inc. to give the country’s leading golfing ladies a circuit of their own.

Dottie Ardina, the former spearhead of Team ICTSI, swept the first two legs at The Country Club and Canlubang.

Also seeing action in this week’s event set at the Aoki layout are Jayvie Agojo, Lina de Guzman, Lovelynn Guioguio, Eva Miñoza, Sarah Ababa, Tracy Que, Anya Tanpinco, Reb Bareng, Apple Fudolin, Lucy Landicho, Kristine Leonen, Marjorie Pulumbarit and Sylvia Torres.

Former Phl Ladies Open champions Mary Grace Estuesta and Heidi Chua are also competing in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Gatorade, Sharp and Custom Clubmakers.

Chihiro Ikeda, another former Phl Ladies Open winner and SEA Games gold medalist, has also confirmed her participation, raring to improve on her runner-up finish in Canlubang.

Nikkie Bruce, Angele de Villa and Felicia Medalla head the amateur players vying for the crown in the P500,000 tournament offering a top purse of P100,000.

From Eagle Ridge, the five-stage tour will go to Wack Wack for the ICTSI Wack Wack LPGT on Sept. 10-12 before winding up in Baguio for the ICTSI Camp John Hay LPGT on Oct. 29-31.