Ikeda wins Skins, donates prize

MANILA, Philippines - Chihiro Ikeda hit five birdies, including three that won her 13 skins as she upstaged three of the region’s leading players to rule the Lydia Ivana Skins Game at the Senayan National Golf Club in Jakarta, Indonesia last Sunday.

Ikeda, who finished fourth in last week’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour leg at Wack Wack, won six skins with a birdie on No. 6, took four more skins with another birdie on the 14th before closing out with her fifth birdie on the 18th worth another three skins.

The ace Fil-Japanese shotmaker won a total of 13 skins over Inez Putri of Indonesia, Tang TN of Vietnam and Thai Nontaya Srisawang. The top ICTSI-backed bet won $4,800 (P210,000) which she all donated to Lydia Ivana’s foundation.

“I’m so proud of Chihiro for participating in this event and helping the recipients of the Lydia Ivana foundation,” said Team ICTSI coach Bong Lopez.

Ikeda struggled in the early going with Srisawang and Tang taking the first hole with birdies and the four players halving the next three with pars. Ikeda and Srisawang halved the fifth with birdies before the Filipina bet rolled in a six-footer for birdie on the sixth to win six skins.

Tang countered with a birdie on the seventh and after they halved the next two with pars, Srisawang hit a birdie on the 10th worth three skins. They again halved the next three before Ikeda rammed in another birdie on the 14th for four skins.

Srisawang birdied No. 15 to win one skin and after they all made pars on the next two, Ikeda hit another birdie to close out with three skins and top the event.