J-Ro boosts ICTSI Ladies Open elite cast

MANILA, Philippines - After nearly two decades, two-time LPGA champion Jennifer Rosales gets to showcase her world-class form before local fans and against a crack international field as she headlines the $75,000 ICTSI Ladies Open which gets going tomorrow at Southlinks Golf Club in Las Piñas.

Rosales, on an early break from the LPGA Tour, signed up for the 54-hole tournament late Sunday, hopeful her presence would further boost the fledgling local ladies pro golf, which took off a couple of years ago with the staging of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“I’m very happy with the growth of women’s golf in the country and we have Mr. Ricky Razon to thank for that – for his all-out support to pro and amateur lady golfers,” said Rosales during a break in practice at Southlinks yesterday, referring to the ICTSI chairman and CEO.

That makes the five-time Philippine Ladies Open winner the heavy favorite for the crown and the top $15,000 purse in the event presented by Champion Infinity owing to her experience and class although a slew of foreign talents will be out to foil her bid as well as the rest of the country’s local aces.

They include Dottie Ardina and Mia Piccio, who are also on a break on the Symetra Tour in the US, along with back-to-back LPGT Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez, Jayvie Agojo, Chihiro Ikeda and ace amateur Princess Superal.

“In my small way I want to help boost women’s pro golf and at the same time thank him (Mr. Razon) for supporting me by playing in this first ICTSI Ladies Open,” said Rosales.

Rosales, 36, last played on local soil in 1996 during the Espirito Santo Trophy of the World Amateur Golf Championships at Sta. Elena. Two years later, she hooked it up with the Univ. of Southern California in Los Angeles and, as a freshman, won the 1988 NCAA Championship.

She gained exempt status for the LPGA Tour in 2000 by finishing tied for seventh in the LPGA Qualifying in late 1999 and became the first Filipina to win on the LPGA Tour when she ruled the Chic-fil-A Championship in 2004. She pocketed her second LPGA crown the following year at the SBS Open in Hawaii.