National champ seeks Phl Ladies Open diadem

MANILA, Philippines - Diminutive Irina Gabasa goes for the big one as she joins the hunt for the Philippine Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship crown beginning Wednesday at The Country Club in Laguna.

Gabasa outlasted Yupaporn Kawinpakorn of Thailand to score a 2-up victory in last year’s Philippine Amateur Golf Championship final at the Del Monte Golf Club in Bukidnon.

The 15-year-old shotmaker will be hard pressed in her title bid as she faces a tough challenge from a talent-laden field in the 54-hole tournament organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Phils. and sponsored by San Miguel Corp., Bingo Bonanza, Pacsports-Nike Golf and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The Thai ace, for one, is in the fold as spearhead of a crack foreign cast that includes reigning Malaysian Am champion Diana Tham and a slew of Korean, Malaysian, Chinese and Taiwanese players along with the leading players from the ICTSI golf stable.

That makes the battle for top honors in the 49th staging of the country’s premier ladies amateur championship a wide-open one with defending champion Cyna Rodriguez also seeking an Open repeat after stomping her way to a seven-stroke victory over ICTSI teammate Lovelynn Guioguio last year at the Manila Southwoods. Others fancied to contend for this year’s crown in the event, backed by Bug Busters, RCBC, Absolute, HSBC, Baileys, Inquirer Golf, Chemical Applicators and Co., Inc., De Capricho Jewelers, Gov. Jay Jay C. Suarez of Quezon Province, MJ Carr Golf Management, Inc., Air 21, Jungolf Phils., EEI, The Mills Country Club, Burger King, Omnisource, are veteran internationalist Dottie Ardina and former champions Chihiro Ikeda and Jayvie Agojo.

Andie Unson, fresh from her victory in the Philippine International Junior Golf Championship, is also tipped to crowd the favorites in the tournament that also drew the participation of Indonesia’s Ines Chandra Putri, Thais Juroporn Ayutthaya and Dolnapa Phudthipinji, Eva Minoza, Princess Superal and Geleen Handog.

The event also features the leading players of the various golf clubs in the country, including those from Sta. Elena, Eagle Ridge, Soutwoods, Valley Golf, Orchard, Riviera, Tagaytay Highlands, Alta Vista, Forest Hills, Pueblo de Oro, Cangolf, Del Monte, Navy and Southwoods.

Also on tap are the Class A and Class B events, the composition of which will be known after 36 holes. For details, contact WGAP’s Lydia Reyes at 0917-8399248 or log on to wgap-golf.com or email [email protected].