Stars of the region’s leading circuits try to outshine one another when the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters blasts off amid ideal conditions at The Country Club in Canlubang Thursday.
“Winds not so strong, just around 13km/hour and I think it will be the same the whole week,” said Colo Ventosa, general manager of the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., on the eve of the $80,000 tournament featuring 99 players from the China LPGA, Taiwan LPGA and the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.
That should give the big hitters an edge with the par-72, 6882-yard layout playing soft and long. Putting, of course, will always be a factor.
Rookie pro Pauline del Rosario and multititled amateur Yuka Saso, who have spent the last few weeks training in the demanding course, both said a 6- to 10-under total could win it without the dreaded winds.
“Otherwise, a 3- to 5-under could do it,” said Del Rosario, the hottest among the locals with four victories in the last six legs of the LPGT.
The long-hitting Saso is a many-time national champion who also led the Philippines to the 2016 World Junior Girls team championship in Canada.