Jeong Hwa Lee. Photo from Inquirer Golf
CARMONA, Cavite—Lee Jeong-hwa turned the back nine of the Manila Southwoods’ Legends course upside down Friday to complete another come-from-behind win in the ICTSI Champion Tour, this time over the dumbfounded Mia Piccio of the Philippines.
The well-built South Korean drained five birdies in her homeward trip and overhauled a four-stroke deficit to Piccio, closing out with a five-under-par 67 to sweep the two-leg Philippine stop of the $75,000 event presented by Champion and the Taiwan LPGA here.
Counting earlier rounds of 67 and 71, Lee, who ruled the Splendido leg in Tagaytay last week also in rallying style, tallied a 54-hole 205 total to underscore her sharpness for the rest of the season.
“I guess I was just lucky,” Lee, who notched her third victory on local soil counting her 2012 Philippine Ladies triumph over the same course, said. “I wasn’t really expecting much (after falling behind by four).”
Piccio, who had a one-shot lead at the start of the day, bloated that advantage to four after nine holes with an eagle-spiked 33, only to play the final nine at level for a 69 and 206.
The loss was painful since Piccio had clear looks at birdies on four easy holes in the back nine, all of them inside six feet, and made none.
Amateur Sam Martirez churned out a 68 to finish third, two shots off the winning score, with The Country Club teammate Pauline del Rosario shooting a 69 for 210 and fourth spot.
“I guess it wasn’t just for me,” said the 24-year-old Piccio, who will again try to crash the US LPGA roster this year. “I played well, but I guess that’s how golf is. You’re never sure until the last shot.”
The 54-hole event was also backed by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and supported by Adidas, Custom Clubmakers, KZG, TaylorMade, Champion, Summit Natural Drinking Water, Pacsports, Sharp and Rustan’s Supermarket.