World No. 1 in focus as TCC Ladies unwraps

STA. ROSA, Laguna, Philippines — The consensus is how low Sung Hyun Park could go as she goes high in the world ranking, tackling a course regarded as one of the toughest in the country and against a different set of rivals out to spring a surprise or two.

The first The Country Club Ladies Invitational blasts off today here with the Korean ace, now the world No. 1 following her victory in the Women’s World Championship last Sunday, as the top draw as Solaire Resort & Casino’s new brand ambassador and the hands down pick to emerge on top of the heap  Friday.

After pulling off a stirring come-from-behind win against the cream of the world crop in Singapore, many believe the power-hitting Park should encounter little resistance from a couple of other LPGA campaigners, the leading players of the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA), the country’s best and brightest and a host of rising stars in the region given her length, talent and world class skills.

Though the wind-swept Tom Weiskoph layout doesn’t favor any particular player or style, Park is still expected to dominate in all three days of the $100,000 event put up by ICTSI, her sights trained on marking her rise to No. 1 with no less than a victory.

Her early clash with Filipina LPGA Tour campaigner Dottie Ardina and top amateur and reigning Asian Games gold medalist Yuka Saso should stir up interest among a gallery raring to get a piece of the action although a lot of aces are itching to sneak into early contention and get a piece of the spotlight.

They include TLPGA stalwarts Babe Liu, Hsin Lee, Tzu-Chi Lin, Ching Huang and Chia Pei Lee, and former LPGT winners from Thailand, led by multi-titled Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, Saruttaya Ngam-usawan, Renuka Suksukont and Wannasiri Sirisampant.