Thai cruises to maiden LPGT victory at Malarayat

Onkanok Soisuwan drained three birdies in a one-under-par 71 on Thursday and completed a wire-to-wire win in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) by ruling the Mount Malarayat leg by a whopping seven shots in Lipa City.

Counting rounds of 70 and 69, Soisuwan, in her first pro tournament, was a cut above the field, tallying a 54-hole 210 with Filipino amateur Mikha Fortuna finishing a badly-beaten second at 217.

Fortuna also closed out with a 71 on another scorching-hot day at the complex’s composite layout and caught Thailand’s Tiranan Yoopan in second. Yoopan matched par.

“I didn’t expect to win because this is my first tournament as a pro,” said Soisuwan, who anchored Team Southeast Asia’s dominant performances over the Philippines’ finest amateurs in the Pradera Ladies Challenge the past two years.

“The first round was really difficult as I struggled with my driver. But I stayed focused and kept my composure,” added Soisuwan, who took home P300,000 for her efforts. “I also had some trouble with my irons (in the final round) but I managed to keep it together.”

Coming into the final 18 holes with a six-shot lead, Soisuwan played the way she did in the first two rounds, attacking when the opportunity came and fighting off complacency.

Cyna Rodriguez opened with a double bogey and was never in it the rest of the day, winding up with a 74 for 218.