Rodriguez guns for 4th LPGT win at Eagle Ridge

MANILA, Philippines - Cyna Rodriguez hopes to flash the form that netted her back-to-back title romps on the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour as she guns for third straight and fourth overall at the Eagle Ridge Ladies Invitational which unfolds next week at the Aoki course in Gen. Trias, Cavite.

Unrivalled the last two legs, Rodriguez sets out as the heavy favorite when the fifth leg of the eight-stage circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. is fired off Sept. 9 with the former Philippine Ladies Open champion taking on the very same field she dominated the last two months.

She beat Amolkan Phalajivit of Thailand by 11 at John Hay Invitational last July then ran away with a 10-stroke victory, again over the Thai campaigner at Malarayat last month.

Rodriguez, who also ruled this leg by eight in last year’s LPGT inaugurals, is actually gunning for her fourth win this year after topping the kickoff leg at Orchard with a five-stroke victory over Jayvie Agojo last April.

But Phalajivin, Agojo, Chihiro Ikeda and the rest of the compact field are also raring to stop Rodriguez’s domination of the tour put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. last year to give the country’s ladies pros a circuit of their own and at the same time attract some foreign entries.

For one, Phalajivin is out to avenge her lopsided losses to Rodriguez, hoping for a strong start in the 54-hole tournament serving as the fifth leg of the eight-stage circuit backed by Nike, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Agojo, who won the second leg at Riviera which Rodriguez skipped to honor a previous commitment, is also raring to atone for her sixth place finish at John Hay and joint third effort at Malarayat.

Ikeda is also out to end a long search for a maiden pro victory after a checkered amateur career capped by a gold medal in the SEA Games and a number of local and international victories.

Others vying in the event are Sarah Jane Ababa, Heidi Chua, Lina de Guzman, Apple Fudolin, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Minoza, Jan Punzalan, Tracy Que, Anya Tanpinco, Sylvia Torres and Korean Kwon Seo Yon.

From Eagle Ridge, the circuit goes to Tagaytay for the Splendido Ladies Invitational on Sept. 24-26 in Tagaytay before Valley Golf Club in Antipolo hosts the penultimate leg on Oct. 14-16 for the Valley Golf Ladies Challenge.

The tour winds up at Southwoods for the Manila Southwoods Ladies Championship on Nov. 26-28.