Golf's rising star rules Ladies Open

CARMONA, Cavite – Louise Manalo enhanced a promising golf career by winning the ICTSI-Philippine Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship, turning what had been a close contest into a rout with a brilliant frontside stint at the Manila Southwoods’ Legends Course here yesterday.

Not even a double-bogey mishap on the final hole could spoil Manalo’s bid for the championship as she coasted to a three-stroke victory over ICTSI teammate Dottie Ardina and Korean Shine Lee despite a closing 40 for a 73.

Like her rivals, Manalo made a disastrous finish, losing four strokes in the last four holes, but the 16-year-old Fil-Am shotmaker had built enough cushion with a solid 33 at the frontside to seize control then watched her pursuers, including second round leader Lee Jeong-hwa, a flight behind, reel back with atrocious rounds to win the crown and keep the championship at home.

“I just stayed focused and kept what coach Bong (Lopez) told me that nobody can beat me,” said Manalo, whose 73 gave her a 54-hole aggregate of 218 for the victory that augured well for one of the country’s most promising players.

Manalo, leaning on her solid putting stroke, birdied No. 11 and took a three-shot lead over Lee Jeong-hwa, who double-bogeyed the same hole but dropped two strokes on the next to enable the Korean to close in again within one. But the ICTSI bet rolled in another birdie on the 14th to go two-up then coasted to the victory as Lee closed out with a 43.

With 40 and 38 after nine holes, Ardina and Shine Lee fell behind Manalo and Lee Jeong-hwa, only coming close at the finish when the outcome was already beyond doubt.

“It was her putting that carried her to the victory. She didn’t have any three-putt yesterday and made the crucial birdie putts that gave her the lead,” said Lopez.

Winner of the Singapore Junior Championship, Kau Sai Chau Amateur in Hong Kong and Sutera Open in Malaysia last year, Manalo is tipped to banner the RP team to the Queen Sirikit Cup slated in March in Bali, Indonesia, according to organizing WGAP (Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines) president Rio Co.

Manalo, tied with Ardina and Shine Lee one shot behind Lee Jeong-hwa at the start of the final round, got some boost after she was relegated to second-to-last flight, and quickly worked her way up to the top with a solid three-under card after nine hole.

Lee Jeong-hwa kept the fight to Manalo with a gutsy 35 on a hot, windy day at the front but failed to sustain her pace with another terrible finish, blowing five strokes in the last three holes, including another 6 on the 18th. She shot herself in the foot with a 78 and tumbled down to fifth with a 222.