OOM lead also staked for Ikeda at Valley

There will be a lot more on the line than just a win for Chihiro Ikeda when she tees off in the P750,000 ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour on Wednesday as she can grab the Order of Merit (OOM) lead with a strong finish heading into the homestretch of the season.

“I really have no expectations, but I will do my best,” Ikeda, who will be shooting to win for the third time this year, said as the 54-hole event on one of the toughest tests in the country gets off in earnest. “I’ve been training hard for this and I hope all my hard work pays off.”

Ikeda won the Eagle Ridge-Aoki leg two months ago before the circuit went on a break, but the former Southeast Asian Games queen hasn’t taken her foot off the gas pedal as far as trying to stay sharp is concerned.

Chanelle Avaricio will be competing in the Thailand Ladies Masters this week, and her lead of under P38,000 in the OOM can be wiped out by Ikeda heading into the final three legs of the season.

Decorated amateurs Rianne Malixi and Mafy Singson are also fancied together with pros Sunshine Baraquiel and Harmie Constantino.

Singson, coming off a World Amateurs stint in France, topped the Splendido Taal leg last May, while Malixi bested multititled Princess Superal at Luisita last March. And given how tough the South course could play, it seems to be a five-woman race with the first round to prove critical. INQ