The long hitters will have the obvious advantage starting on Wednesday when the P750,000 ICTSI Pradera Verde Ladies Classic tees off over the wide-open, relatively flat but long layout in Lubao in Pampanga.
“If my ball striking clicks, I’ll have a good chance,” Sunshine Baraquiel, who finished joint second behind an amateur at Splendido three weeks ago, said on the eve of the 54-hole championship as she shoots for a long overdue follow-up to her first title that came at Tagaytay Highlands last year.
Baraquiel is playing Pradera Verde for the first time in a tournament and believes that aside from long, well-placed shots off the tees, putting will play a major part.
Fine-tuned
Also tipped as players to watch are Chanelle Avaricio and Harmie Constantino, the others whom Baraquiel tied with as Mafy Singson, the amateur who upset them all in Tagaytay, is not seeing action.
Chihiro Ikeda, the former Southeast Asian Games queen, is also entered and is given an even chance over the well-manicured layout where four amateurs make up the lean field.
Avaricio, the winner of two legs already this season and who is coming off runner-up finishes in the last two, said that she has fine-tuned her driving and putting during the break to come to Pradera armed to the teeth. INQ