Thai, Pinoy duel looms at Luisita
Thai aces and crack local bets will battle it out for money and glory when the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour resumes Tuesday with the P1 million ICTSI Luisita Ladies Challenge at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.
LPGA campaigner Janjir Tiensa-ard will spearhead the Thais chasing the top P250,000 purse in the 54-hole event serving as the third leg of the 10-stage circuit sponsored by ICTSI.
She will be backstopped by sisters Nemittra and Nimmitta Juntanaket, Chattara Chatwararat, Jaruporn Palakawongnaayuttawa and Numa Gulyanamitta.
Former amateur hotshot Pauline del Rosario, Chihiro Ikeda and Cristina Corpus will lead the Filipinos, who also have to contend with Korean Euna Koh, Indonesian Jessica Lydia and Japanese amateur Kelly Marutani in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Del Rosario is all primed up for a breakthrough victory while Ikeda is seeking a follow-up to her lone pro triumph at Orchard last year.
Corpus beat Thai Walailak Satarak by three shots in the 2015 edition of the event, but the Fil-Am has had so-so finishes last year and early this year.
Del Rosario kicks off her bid at 7:30 a.m. with Nemittra Juntaket and Ikeda.
The spruced up Luisita layout, site of the Philippine Open in 2015, will test the participants’ mettle with its tight fairways, sleek putting surface and numerous hazards.
Tiensa-ard is bracketed with Lydia and Eva Miñoza at 7:50 a.m. while Chatwararat tackles Anya Tanpinco and Lovelyn Guioguio at 7:10 a.m.
