Thailand aims for LPGT breakthrough

MANILA, Philippines - Saraporn Chamchoi hopes to break a couple of heartbreaks with a victory as she heads seven other Thailand players vying against the local aces and a slew of other foreign bets in the Manila Southwoods Ladies Classic firing off next week at Southwoods’ Legends course in Carmona, Cavite.

Chamchoi missed joining the ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational title playoff by one last April and tied for third again in the Luisita Ladies Challenge last July, making her hungry for title and a top contender in the season-ending tournament of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Other Thai players signing up for the P500,000 tournament are Sarauttaya Ngam-usawan, Mookharin Ladgratok, Wannasiri Sirisampant, Jaruporn Palakawongnaayuttawa, Chayuda Singhsuwan, Chattarat Chatwarrarat and Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang, who tied Chamchoi at third at Luisita.

Sherwood leg winner Sarah Ababa, meanwhile, shoots for her second crown as she spearheads the local challenge along with former leg champion Jayvie Agojo, hard-luck Chihiro Ikeda, Apple Fudolin, Lucy Landicho, Eva Miñoza, Anya Tanpinco, Sylvia Torres, Lovelyn Guioguio, Tracy Que, Majorie Pulumbarit and former Philippine Ladies Open winner Heidi Chua.

The 54-hole tournament, set Oct. 27-29, serves as the final leg of the eight-stage tour sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., which launched the circuit in 2013 to boost ladies pro golf and at the same time lure the top players in the region.

In fact, this season’s kickoff leg, the ICTSI Ladies Open, served as the third leg of the 2015 Asian Ladies Tour which featured a number of foreign players, including Korean Hwang Ye-nah, who edged local ace amateur Princess Superal by one at Southlinks.

Thai Meechai Wichanee ruled the second leg at Splendido while Superal nipped two-time Order of Merit champion Cyna Rodriguez in sudden death to snare the Wack Wack title.

Rodriguez bounced back to top the next leg at Riviera while Ababa dominated the field at Sherwood to nail her maiden win in the circuit backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers, Sharp and Champion Infinity.

Fil-Am Cristina Corpus beat Thais Satarak Walailak, Pat Supakchan and Chamchoi to likewise score her first win at Luisita while Korean amateur Hwang Min Jeong bested Rodriguez and Superal to reign at Mt. Malarayat.