PHILIPPINE ladies golf keeps swinging to greater heights as it links up with China LPGA to go with its two-year tie-up with Taiwan LPGA for the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters firing off Thursday at The Country Club in Laguna.
China LPGA top players, led by Zhang Yunjie, Liu Yan and Li Xiya, and Taiwan LPGA aces Hsieh Yu-Ling, Ching Huang and Chang Hsuan-Ping banner the huge foreign challenge in the $80,000 event put up by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
From the inaugural six-leg circuit in 2013 to an eight-stage tour in 2015, the LPGT continued to grow in numbers and participation with the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. putting up 10 tournaments last year and adding another one with the season-ending ICTSI South Forbes Ladies Invitational on Dec. 19-21.
“We’re very happy with how our tour has grown, in terms of tournaments and players as well,” said PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa. “It is our goal to help our lady pros and amateurs hone their skills in our circuit to prepare them to compete in other tours abroad and the presence of the CLPGA and TLPGA players will surely raise the level of play here.”
Rookie Pauline del Rosario, the hottest player on the LPGT today with four victories in the last six tournaments, will spearhead the locals campaign in the 54-hole championship co-sanctioned by the CLPGA and TLPGA.
Forty-seven players from the CLPGA and 30 TLPGA campaigners join the 22 LPGT field in the biggest, richest tournament in this side of the Phl circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.
Symetra Tour campaigners Princess Superal and Cyna Rodriguez are also expected to figure prominently in the title race, each out to re-stamp their class on the circuit which they used to dominate along with former Thai players who have notched victories on the LPGT, including Wannasiri Sirisampant, Saruttaya Ngam Usawan and Amolkan Phalajivin.
Focus will also be on a crack amateur cast, headed by multi-titled Yuka Saso and Sam Dizon, and Mikha Fortuna, Laia Barro and Mafy Singson of Team The Country Club, all raring to impress and score an upset over an elite international field.
