File Photo: Sam Martirez

Sam Martirez heads a lean but mean roster of amateurs out to upstage the pros as the ICTSI Beverly Place Classic gets going today (Wednesday, April 27) at the Beverly Place Golf Club in Mexico, Pampanga.

Martirez, one of the mainstays of Team The Country Club, exudes confidence as she sets out for the 54-hole championship, the third leg of this year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, seeking to achieve what she had failed to do at Manila Southwoods last month.

The 17-year-old graduate of the Masters Academy Home School showed up the local pros and the ladies of the Taiwan LPGA Tour as she grabbed a share of the opening round lead at Southwoods before settling for a strong third place effort with a nine-under 207 total.

File Photo: Sam Martirez

She hopes to dish out the same form in this week’s event along with teammates Mikha Fortuna, Bernice Olivarez-Ilas, Kayla Nocum and Sofia Chabon.

The event, sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., also drew Malaysian amateur Kellie Kan along with local amateurs Shery Villacencio and Louise Manalo.

Still, focus will be on the likes of Chihiro Ikeda, Jayvie Agojo, Fil-Am Cristina Corpus and Sarah Ababa, who are tipped to contend for the top P100,000 purse in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, adidas, KZG, Sharp, Summit Mineral Water, Srixon, Champion, TaylorMade and Pacsports.

Martirez hopes to come out strong with an early tee-time at 7 a.m. with Villasencio while Fortuna drew England’s Sarah Henderson at 7:10 a.m. and Chabon will tee off next at 7:20 a.m. with Eva Miñoza and Lina de Guzman.

Heidi Chua, a former Philippine Ladies Open champion, plays alongside Anya Tanpinco and Ilas at 7:30 a.m. followed by Ababa, Nocum and Apple Fudolin at 7:40 a.m.

Ikeda and Agojo clash in an early duel of the top bets with Kan at 7:50 a.m. while Corpus is paired with Manalo and Lovelynn Guioguio at 8 a.m.
Low scoring is expected on the relatively flat layout which requires accuracy off the tee and on approach shots on the bunker-laden greens.