Arevalo firms up National Stroke Play cast

MANILA, Philippines — Abby Arevalo returns to very site of one of her biggest triumphs, joining defending champion and SEA Games gold medal teammate Lois Kaye Go in the National Stroke Play Championship which reels off tomorrow at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.

Arevalo birdied the last hole to edge Pauline del Rosario by one and snatch the Riviera crown of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour in 2017, making it to the elite roster of amateurs who have won in the country’s premier ladies circuit.

She went on to post three more wins while with the San Jose State U and teamed up with individual gold medalist Bianca Pagdanganan and Go in the Philippines’ gold medal romp in the recent SEA Games at Luisita.

That should make her one of the players to watch in the 72-hole tournament kicking off the PLDT Amateur Golf Tour season with Go seeking to make it two-in-row in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Out to crowd the talented duo are reigning WExpress RVF Cup and MVPSF Visayas regional champion Junia Gabasa, Philippine Junior Amateur, Phl Amateur Open Match Play, Northern Luzon Regional titlist Rianne Malixi and Cangolf Open winner Nicole Abelar.

Like Arevalo, Korean Kim Seo Yun also hopes to recall the form that netted her the Riviera MVPSF Amateur crown last November, guaranteeing a spirited battle for top honors in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation and backed by Cignal, Metro Pacific Investments and Summit Ridge as official hotel.

Also in the fold are Diana Araneta, Tomi Arejola, Laia Barro, Sophia Blanco, Sofia Chabon, Samantha Dizon, Laurea Duque, Bernice Ilas, Samantha Martirez and Eagle Ace Superal.

Others tipped to contend are Hong Kong’s Vivian Lee and Japanese Riko Nagai.

The battle for the men’s crown is also expected to go down-to-the-wire with Japanese Gen Nagai bracing for another tight finish against the country’s leading players headed by Aidric Chan.