Phl-Thai duel looms as LPGT Luisita unwraps

TARLAC, Philippines – The Ladies Philippine Golf Tour resumes today with six aces from Thailand slugging it out with the leading local players in the P1 million ICTSI Luisita Ladies Challenge at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here.

Thailand LPGA campaigner Janjir Tiensa-ard joins sisters Nemittra and Nimmitta Juntanaket, Chattara Chatwararat, Jaruporn Palakawongnaayuttawa and Numa Gulyanamitta in the hunt for the top P250,000 purse in the 54-hole championship serving as the third leg of the 10-stage circuit sponsored by ICTSI.

Korean Euna Koh and Jessica Lydia of Indonesia, along with Japanese amateur Kelly Marutani, are also in the fold but the crack Thai delegation is expected to crowd the top Filipino campaigners for top honors in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Spruced up for the event, the Luisita layout, site of the Philippine Open in 2015, is expected to challenge the field’s shotmaking and putting skills with its tight fairways and sleek putting surface and hazards that come into play in crucial holes.

Pauline del Rosario banners the local challenge with the former amateur hotshot all primed up for a shot at a maiden victory in the circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.

Del Rosario kicks off her bid at 7:30 a.m. with Nemittra Juntaket and Chihiro Ikeda, who is also seeking a follow-up to her lone pro win at Orchard last year, with the heat factor also a key in each player’s title drive.

Tiensa-ard is grouped with Lydia and Eva Miñoza at 7:50 a.m. while Chatwararat mixes it up with Anya Tanpinco and Lovelyn Guioguio at 7:10 a.m.

Focus will also be on Cristina Corpus, who beat Thai Walailak Satarak by three here in 2015 for her breakthrough win although the Fil-Am shotmaker has had so-so finishes last season and early this year.

Meanwhile, the fourth leg of the circuit will be held May 31-June 2 at the Orchard while the short but tricky Baguio Country Club will host the fifth stop on June 28-30.