ICTSI Ladies PGT qualifier unwraps

MANILA, Philippines - The chase for berths in the 2014 ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour begins today with a mix of foreign and local bets competing at the Aoki course of the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in Gen. Trias, Cavite.

The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. said players who score 240 for three days, for a daily average output of 80, will gain cards in the country’s ladies pro circuit set to unveil its second season on April 16-18 for the ICTSI Orchard Golf Ladies Classic at the Orchard Golf and Country Club’s Player’s Course in Cavite.

Amolkan Phalajivin of Thailand drew Korean Park Hyo Jin and local amateur Samantha Martirez in the 8:20 a.m. flight while Englishwoman Sarah Henderson is booked in the 8:30 a.m. group with Mika Fortuna and Korean Kim So Yoon, all looking for a big start and the momentum in the 54-hole tournament.

The International Container Terminal Services, Inc., which also sponsors the men’s tour and the country’s junior golf development program, found the need to provide the country’s lady golfers a circuit of their own and put up the pro tour last year with a five-leg circuit dominated by Cyna Rodriguez and Dottie Ardina with two victories each.

Amateur Princess Superal, however, humbled the pros by ruling the final leg at John Hay last October with the top ICTSI bet sustaining her form to win the gold medal in the SEA Games in Myanmar last December.

Others seeking Tour cards are Koreans Park You Ra, Kwon Seoyon, Kim Dae Jeong and Saso Yuka, Vanessa Tsutsui and Pamela Mariano while members of the ICTSI ladies team, including Sam Green and Sofia Chabon, are joining as part of their training for various international tournaments.

Wack Wack will host the second leg on May 13-15 for the ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational before action shifts to the challenging Tagaytay Highlands for the ICTSI Tagaytay Highlands Challenge on July 24-26.

The other legs are ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic on Aug. 13-15, ICTSI Riviera Ladies Invitational on Sept. 10-12, ICTSI Calatagan Ladies Classic on Sept. 17-19, ICTSI Valley Golf Ladies Challenge on Oct. 14-16, and the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Ladies Challenge on Nov. 5-7.