Filipino aces vow to stop Thais in LPGT

LIPA City, Philippines — Pauline del Rosario takes a break from her hectic China and Taiwan LPGA Tour campaign as she and former three-time Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez spearhead the local challenge against the crack Thailand side in The Women’s Championship beginning today at the Summit Point Golf and Country Club here.

The Thais have ruled four of the first eight legs of this year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, including three winners – Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang and Onkanok Soisuwan – who are in the huge 41-player roster slugging it out for top honors in the P1.5 million championship sponsored by ICTSI.

But Del Rosario and Rodriguez vowed to dish out their best and stop the country’s perennial regional rivals’ domination of the circuit with the former coming into 54-hole event brimming with confidence and the latter out to snap a string of heartbreak finishes in the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.-organized circuit she used to dominate.

“It’s nice to be back here and hopefully I’d be able to get off to a good start,” said Del Rosario, who won four legs on her way to claiming the OOM crown last year.