Depleted foreign field out to break PH stranglehold of ladies’ golf tourney

Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Abby Arevalo and Nicole Abelar will lead a crack group of locals who will face a slew of foreign aces when 58th Philippine Ladies Open gets going on Feb. 18 at posh Manila Golf Club in Forbes Park in Makati City.

Arevalo, who won a gold in the women’s team event, and Abelar will face a foreign field whose numbers were sliced after several golfers opted to skip the event due to fears of the COVID-19 outbreak. But the organizing Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines said the field will still be spiced with solid opposition from abroad as bets from Japan, Australia, Indonesia and the United States, led by Kristin Oberiano, will join the hunt for the prestigious women’s crown.

The foreign golfers hope to break the expected domination of the Filipino women in the event sponsored by San Miguel Corp., Diamond Motors, Sunsports and Eva Air.

Eagle Ace Superal, Sophia Blanco, Junia Gabasa, Arnie Taguines and young Rianne Malixi are also tipped to contend for the crown in the tournament also backed by Globe, Cherrylume, Courbé and the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Others in the fold are Sam Dizon, Rhea Langamin, Mafy Singson, Martina Miñoza and Grace Quintanilla along with Japanese Airi Mitsuhashi and Aussies Angela Enqi and Gabrielle Beohm.

Other foreign bets seeing action are Charlotte Huynh, Prescilla Keogh, Dierdre Horan, Gillian Tidey and Susan Lomax from Australia, Cynthia Birch and Suzette Kirchner from the United States, Indonesian Rita Horan, Teresita Blair from Guam, Japanese Katsuko Blalock and Wynnie Sim from Singapore.