Ikeda falls short, settles for 2nd

Mamiko Higa flattened Chihiro Ikeda with a flawless morning play and then thwarted a fightback by the Fil-Japanese in the last 18 holes to post a 6-and-5 victory and capture the Japan Women’s Amateur Golf Championship at the Takarazuka Golf Club in Osaka yesterday.

The long-hitting Higa shot a brilliant seven-under card and took a 7-up lead into the second half of the 36-hole finale, reducing their afternoon duel to a coronation round for the peerless Japanese.

“She hits the ball so long,” said Ikeda, who is also a force to reckon with off the tee. “She outdrives me by 30 yards and I’m not used to that.”

Unlike in her previous wins, the top ICTSI campaigner struggled with her iron game as the winds blew and spent the day getting a virtual golf clinic from Higa.

“The wind was very strong today, I had trouble getting the ball close to the hole the whole day,” said Ikeda, who hit just four birdies against Higa’s 10 over 31 holes.

At the resumption of the match in the afternoon, Ikeda cut the deficit to five holes with three birdies from No. 25 to No. 29. But that proved to be the closest she could get as Higa birdied the 31st hole to wrap up the crown.

Over in Malaysia, Dottie Ardina rallied with a 74 after an 80 in the first round but fell farther back to leader Viviane Chin of Malaysia in the Perak Ladies Amateur Open at Meru Valley Golf Club in Perak Saturday.

Ardina pooled 154 after 36 holes and stood 13 shots off Chin, who scored a respectable 73 after routing the field with a 68 in the first round for 141.

Filipino Sheryl Villacencio and Malaysian Amelia Yong skied to 77s and Singapore’s Low Si Xuan made a 76 to tie Ardina at 154.