2016 ICTSI Champion Tour presented by Champion & TLPGA: Lee seeks back-to-back Champion Tour plums
Lee Jeong-hwa hopes to cash in on top form and course familiarity as she seeks a second straight win at ICTSI Champion Tour.
Not only is she coming into the $75,000 event brimming with confidence following her thrilling one-stroke triumph over Japanese Fumika Kawagishi at Splendido last week but also making a return to her home course where she nipped Princess Superal to snare the Philippine Ladies Open diadem in 2012.
That PLO win prompted Lee to move to the pro ranks but the Korean lass has had so-so stints on the Korean tour and in a number of tournaments here but continued to work on her game until she regained her touch and form with that remarkable victory last week.
Lee birdied two of the last four holes to rally from two down with eight holes left and snatch the victory that made her the marked player in the upcoming 54-hole championship sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc., the sixth leg of the Taiwan LPGA and the second stage of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.
“The course familiarity will help me play well this week. I’m feeling really good with my game and few good breaks on the putting green will surely help,” said Lee, who has made the bunker-laden layout her home when on break from the Korean circuit.
Emphasis will indeed be on putting given the layout’s sleek surface although shot selections will also be a key especially if the wind come into play in most holes.
But Kawagishi will surely go all-out to get back at Lee while a slew of other Taiwan LPGA campaigners are also raring to put themselves in early contention for the top $15,000 purse in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by adidas, Custom Clubmakers, KZG, TaylorMade, Champion, Summit Natural Drinking Water, Pacsports, Sharp and Rustans Supermarket.
They include Splendido joint third placers Kanphanitnan Muangkhumaskul and Taiwan Chen Yu-ju. Korean Kang Ji-won, Thai Mookharin Ladgratok and Taiwan Chen Min-jou, who shared sixth place, and joint ninth placers Chorphaka Jaengkit of Thailand and Symetra Tour campaigner Mia Piccio.
Dottie Ardina, who also campaigns on the Symetra Tour and winner of three LPGT tournaments, also sets out to atone for her 11th place effort at Splendido, hopeful to play in top form after a bout with colds and coughs that hampered her campaign last week.
Others tipped to contend are Korean Hwang Ye-nah, winner of the ICTSI Ladies Open last year at Southlinks who groped for form at Splendido and struggled to finish joint 16th, Taiwanese Yu Pei-lin, Pan Yen-ling, and Chen Min-jou, along with Thais Saranporn Langkulgaettrin, Alisara Wedchakama and invitees Chatpara Siriprakob and Pompak Paksakul.
