THAILAND is fielding in a seven-player contingent, all ready to stop Princess Superal and the rest of the local aces in the ICTSI Luisita Ladies Championship firing off tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.
The Thais have won two of the first four legs of this year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour but have been outclassed in the last two stops dominated by Superal, who posted a record 16-shot romp in Tagaytay and won by five at Riviera last month.
But with a crack squad, the country’s perennial regional rivals are confident of pulling it off again this week behind Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang, Thanuttra Boonraksasat, Sarinee Thitiratanakorn, Numa Gulyanamitta, Ananya Vitayakonkomol, Jaruporn P Na Ayuttaya and former leg winner Saruttaya Ngam-usawan.
But Superal and the rest of the locals are also raring to slug it out with the Thais, promising a shootout right from the start of the P1.5 million event sponsored by ICTSI at the tight, hazard-laden layout.
Cyna Rodriguez, for one, is out to break a long title-spell while Chihiro Ikeda hopes to play in full strength after a hand injury stymied her bid at Riviera.
Gretchen Villacencio is also expected to come out stronger and tougher after losing steam the last time out, enabling Superal to cruise to another victory.
Meanwhile, Jona Magcalayo joins the big cast of amateurs out to spoil the fancied pros’ drive in the seventh leg of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Amateur Yuka Saso actually ruled the kickoff leg at Ayala Greenfield last January but the pros have since re-imposed their might, winning the next five.
But the likes of The Country Club mainstays Mikha Fortuna, Sofia Chabon, Laia Barro, Samantha Dizon and Mafy Singson along with Kristine Torralba, Japanese Kelly Marutani and Sharon Park of Canana are going all out to prove their worth as they prime up for various international competitions this summer.
Other backers of the event are Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZGm PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.
