Southern Ladies golf unfolds Feb. 4

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s golfing ladies, including members of the national pool and upcoming stars, take the spotlight next month as they slug it out for top honors in the Southern Ladies golf tournament slated Feb. 4-6 at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

Registration is ongoing with deadline set on Jan. 30 according to NGAP. Fee is pegged at P2,000. For details, contact NGAP at (02) 5179778, fax (02) 706-5926, 0917-560-7074 (Susan Facundo) or email at [email protected] or visit www.ngapgolf.com, or at IGCC at tel. No. (033) 523-9777 / 523-9779or fax (033) 523-9778.

Events on tap are the individual, team competition and seniors division with the LAM-Am and practice round set on Feb. 3.

With last year’s champion Crystal Shin of Korea opting to turn pro, the fight for top honors will now be among the local bets, headed by the crack ICTSI golf team that includes SEA Games gold medalist Chihiro Ikeda and teammate Dottie Ardina, along with the other top players of the country’s various clubs.

Although she fell short of her bid to reclaim the RP Ladies Open crown she won in 2008 with a third place finish last Friday, Ikeda remains the player to watch in the tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.