Harmie Constantino hopes to ride on all the positive vibes in pursuit of a second straight championship back to the Villamor Golf Club, headlining the ICTSI Philippine Masters field she has bested in the last Ladies Philippine Golf Tour stop at Luisita.
Constantino repelled top amateur Rianne Malixi in the rain to snatch the inaugural Match Play Invitational title in a playoff at the relatively flat but challenging military layout last year. She also repulsed Daniella Uy, also via sudden death, to snare the Luisita crown two weeks ago.
The same tight, exciting finish is expected this week although Constantino is coming into the 54-hole, P1 million championship oozing with confidence.
She expects to get going early against a slumping reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner Chihiro Ikeda and a surging Pamela Mariano at 8:20 a.m. on the first hole, just behind the other featured threesome featuring Uy, Korean Kim Seoyun and the equally-promising Florence Bisera.
While Constantino is so focused on sustaining her momentum and re-asserting her mastery of the field, Kim and Uy both set out for redemption after the duo stumbled with late-round meltdowns in the Caliraya Springs and Luisita legs of the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.-organized circuit.
The chance to become the first ladies PH Masters champion also serves as added motivation to the field beefed by Rev Alcantara, Monica Mandario, Sarah Ababa, Gretchen Villacencio, Marvi Monsalve and Apple Fudolin.
Also due for a big finish is Mafy Singson, who seeks to duplicate Malixi’s four-stroke victory over Ikeda in the Iloilo leg of the ICTSI-backed circuit last March along with Koreans Nam Eunhua and Lee Jiwon.
Completing the cast are Lovelynn Guioguio, Kristine Fleetwood, Majorie Pulumbarit, Lucy Landicho, Sheryl Villasencio, Eva Miñoza and Korean Yang Juyoung.