New LPGT season has many stars to watch out for

Two victories to mark a maiden Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) campaign proved enough to net Harmie Constantino the Order of Merit (OOM)trophy, but it was her two failed title cracks that should make her a tougher, better player when the pro circuit resumes this year.

In a season filled with uncertainties due to the pandemic, the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. was still able to put up eight tournaments that produced six winners—three of them having breakthroughs—and a 14-year-old amateur prodigy closing out the year with near-impeccable play on the way to posting a landslide win that nearly shattered the tour record held by a grizzled pro.

The last season belonged to Constantino, who highlighted her rookie year with a two-shot victory over multititled Princess Superal at Eagle Ridge-Aoki last March before play was abruptly suspended due to the health crisis.

“I didn’t even have the OOM in mind when I was playing. I just came out there and played,” said Constantino, who earned P609,750 for the season.

“I had times where I came up short. But it only showed that there’s still a lot more to learn,” she added, referring to her runner-up efforts at Riviera-Couples and Midlands.

With Superal out, there was no dominant force left and Sunshine Baraquiel, a lady pilot who said she had soon realized her heart was in golf and not in flying, reigned in wicked conditions at Highlands; Chanelle Avaricio snapped a couple of bridesmaid finishes with a seven-shot win at Riviera-Couples; and Daniella Uy made it three-in-row for first-time winners following a five-shot win at Riviera-Langer.

Baraquiel, Avaricio and Uy will be players to watch this year together with Mafy Singson, an amateur who flirted with victory four times before Rianne Malixi beat her to the draw—in near-record-breaking fashion.

Malixi posted a 15-stroke triumph over Constantino at Midlands to end the year, just one shot short of the record held by Superal.