Lady golfers brace for mega North-South tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Inspired by the success of the men’s The Duel – North vs South series, the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour stages its own Ryder Cup-style showdown this Wednesday when 16 pros slug it out for the inaugural crown at the South Course of the Canlubang Golf and Country Club in Laguna.

“This is in response to the lady pros’ clamor to hold their own version of the Duel side by side with the men’s,” said Colo Ventosa, general manager of the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. “This is going to be fun and at the same we expect a highly competitive duel.”

Like in the men’s series, the country’s top players from Luzon will battle it out with their counterparts from the Visayas-Mindanao region in the three-day tournament slated Dec. 11-13.

Inaugural ICTSI LPGT Order of Merit champion Cyna Rodriguez leads the North team raring to stamp its class in the tournament put up by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and sponsored by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Rodriguez, who won two legs in the five leg ICTSI LPGT, will be backstopped by fellow former Philippine Ladies Open champions Jayvie Agojo, Mary Grace Estuesta and Heidi Chua in the North squad with Reb Bareng, Lina de Guzman, Lucy Landicho, Marjorie Pulumbarit and Jan Punzalan completing the roster.

Play will be foursomes (alternate shot) and fourball (best ball) – four matches each – in the first two days with the singles – eight matches – slated in the final day. The first team to win 8.5 points clinches the Duel.

Fil-Japanese Chihiro Ikeda, also a one-time Philippine Ladies Open winner and a SEA Games gold medalist, will spearhead the South squad gearing up for a battle royale with their North counterparts in the event backed my media partners Studio 23, Balls, Pinoy Golfer and Impact Magazine with Event Captain, Inc. as event manager.

Completing the South roster are Sarah Ababa, Apple Fudolin, Lovelynn Guioguio, Barsy Leonen and Eva Miñoza, Anya Tanpinco and Sylvia Torres.