Ikeda eyes 2nd straight crown

MANILA, Philippines — Back on the winning track, Chihiro Ikeda hopes to bring her act to Laurel, Batangas next week for a crack at a second straight Ladies Philippine Golf Tour crown in the ICTSI Splendido Taal Challenge, which gets going Tuesday at Splendido Taal Golf Club.

Ikeda used a big frontside run spiked by an eagle feat then scrambled at the finish to save a 72 and beat Chanelle Avaricio by three in the ICTSI Mount Malarayat Ladies Challenge in Lipa City two weeks ago for her first victory since edging Pauline del Rosario in sudden death at ICTSI Midlands Challenge in 2019.

“While the victory removed all doubt as to whether I could win again, it will be a lot tougher to make it two-in-row given the level of the (playing) field and the terrors lurking on every corner of Splendido,” said Ikeda, whose campaign is backed by AsiaGlobal Technologies and Manila Southwoods.

Korean Hwang Min Jeong nipped Princess Superal by one to win the last LPGT event at Splendido in 2019 with the same tight finish expected in the upcoming 54-hole tournament serving as the fifth leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Avaricio, for one, is raring not only to get back at Ikeda but also get back in the groove after being denied a third straight championship following a playoff victory over Superal at Hallow Ridge and a one-stroke triumph over Ikeda at Caliraya.