Thai ace captures ICTSI Ladies Masters crown

Saranporn Langkulgasettrin of Thailand played steady enough on a trying day, shooting a one-over-par 73 to win the first ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters by three shots over Princess Superal and two foreign bets at Alabang Golf Club.

Starting the day sharing the lead with South Korea’s Lee Jeong-hwa, Langkulgasettrin slowly peeled away when most of the pursuers, save for Superal, dropped out of contention one after the other.

A two-year pro, Langkulgasettrin tallied 212 over 54 holes despite failing to crack par for the first time, bankrolling $17,000 out of the $80,000 pot.

Superal justified her tag as the country’s finest pro, gunning down three of her four birdies in her last 10 holes for a 71 to catch up with Lee and Thai Kanphanitnan Muangkhulsakul, the first round leader, at 215.

“This is my first championship, a good confidence booster for next season,” said Langkulgasettrin, who benefitted greatly from Chihiro Ikeda’s meltdown in the last three holes to seal the deal.

Lee, the winner of the Splendido and Southwoods legs, shot a 76 while Muangkhulsakul returned a second straight 73.

Ikeda, who teed off a shot behind Langkulgasettrin, dropped five shots in a two-hole stretch late in the round and signed for a 77, five shots off the winning score.

Ikeda had tied Langkulgasettrin with a birdie on the 15th, only to sign for a triple bogey 8 in the next hole and a double bogey 6 on 17th.