Ria: Beauty among the best in RP Open

The nice thing about Ria Quiazon, besides her stunning looks, is that she has guts — lots of it. While (lady) players a lot tougher and more experienced than her have declined to play in the DHL-Philippine Open next week, Quiazon surprisingly agreed to slug it out with the men of the tour in the country’s most prestigious golf championship.

But playing per se is one thing. Playing to the level of the men’s, not to mention on a very demanding course as Riviera’s Langer layout, is another.

Jennifer Rosales, the country’s top lady golfer and a veteran of the tough LPGA Tour, emphasized this when she declined the offer to play and opted to join the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia instead.

"The field and the course are too tough for a woman player," said Rosales, a five-time winner of the RP Ladies Open, who added that an 80 at Riviera would be more like an even par for their breed.

It is for this very same reason why Heidi Chua, a former RP Open titlist herself, decided against competing in the $150,000 event, presented by San Miguel Corp., slated Feb. 26-29.

"After careful deliberation and further assessment, I have decided that it is not in the best of my interest to participate at this point," said Chua in a letter to the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines.

She instead offered her slot to a male local pro, stressing that "with a large number of Filipino pros, our country will be ably represented in the tournament."

But Quiazon thinks otherwise. She feels that her participation will make her a stronger player and raise the level of her game.

Besides, the RP Open stint will give her a clear shot at history — being the lone woman player to see action in the fabled event whose talent-laden roster features not only the cream of the local crop but also some of the best players in the region.

But even that failed to discourage or make Quiazon reconsider or even rethink her decision to compete. In fact, the 5-foot-9 Fil-Am player with the movie star looks is looking forward to the big event with enthusiasm and so much pride.

"It’s a great honor to play in the Open and be the lone female participant," said Quiazon. "I don’t expect much though but I hope to come out of it a stronger, tougher player."

The Open also marks the first professional tournament for Quiazon, a six-time member of the national team, including the 1997 SEAG gold medal squad, who incidentally turned 23 yesterday.

Since hitting town Tuesday morning, the San Francisco-based Quiazon has played the Riviera layout just once and found the wind-raked par-71 course a lot tougher and very demanding.

"Every shot is important there. And the greens, oh they’re so tricky," said Quiazon. "I believe they’re going to get faster but I hope to familiarize myself more with few more rounds and find out where to place my approach shots."

Quiazon said she’s no stranger to playing against men, having won a boys’ league as a sophomore at James Logan and was once dragged by her mom into a tournament littered with names of men.

But the Open is an entirely different thing, a no such trivial event. In fact, it’s a major championship which features the likes of former RP Open champions Frankie Miñoza, Cassius Casas, Robert Pactolerin and Gerald Rosales and top foreign bets Rick Gibson of Canada, Boonchu Ruangkit of Thailand and Jeev Milkha Singh of India.

"I feel like part of history," said Quiazon.

Truly, her upcoming appearance in the Open is history in the making but a missed-cut stint — or even a disastrous opener — will reduce her to a mere footnote in the event’s storied staging. Or worse, a laughing stock.

And that wouldn’t be nice.