Ikeda eyes PH Ladies Open repeat win

MANILA, Philippines— Chihiro Ikeda seeks a place in Philippine Ladies Open history next month when she tries to become the first player in 10 years to rule the event on consecutive seasons at the tough Wack Wack East in Mandaluyong.

The burly, pro-bound Ikeda leads a stellar foreign-flavored field seeing action in the 54-hole event sponsored by Champion Infinity from Jan. 11. Heidi Chua was the last to repeat as champion, doing it in 2002-2003.

A victory by Ikeda would also put her in the company of Jennifer Rosales, the multiple LPGA leg winner, who ruled the event for five straight years starting in 1994 before making the jump to the pros.

Cyna Rodriguez, who is in a golf scholarship in the United States, came from behind to nip Ikeda at Manila Southwoods in 2010, before Ikeda posted a wire-to-wire triumph last year at the Country Club also in Laguna.

Organized and conducted by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines, the championship is backed by Duty Free Philippines, the Philippine Sports Commission and Inquirer as gold sponsors.

Registration is ongoing with fee pegged at P7,000 or $170. Deadline is set on Dec. 30. For listing, log on to www.wgap-golf.com, or e-mail [email protected] or text or call 0908-8810366 or (632) 8460973 (fax).

Dottie Ardina and Jayvie Agojo are expected to lead the local challengers. Ardina is looking to nail the one title missing in her wide collection of trophies while Agojo, who won the recent Hong Kong Open, will try to relive some of the glorious moments in her career.