Ikeda boosts bid for first pro title

CHIHIRO Ikeda fired a two-under-par 69 yesterday and took a two-stroke lead over amateur Bernice Ilas after the opening round of the P500,000 ICTSI Beverly Place Challenge in Pampanga.

Ikeda, who still hasn’t won a pro tournament after a very decorated amateur career, birdied the 18th to seal a 34-37 round over the very flat layout.

Most of the women’s tour’s top guns are busy campaigning abroad, leaving the door wide-open for the lesser lights to break through, with Ikeda one of those fancied to finally win one.

“I just hope to finally win,” Ikeda, a former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, said.

Another amateur Mikha Fortuna, fired a 73 like Lovelyn Guioguio to stay in the hunt.

Sam Martirez, the third member of the rock-solid The Country Club team of swing guru Bong Lopez, shot a 74 despite struggling with her approaches all day.