SILANG, Cavite – For Thai veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, it felt so good winning again here – 10 years after humbling a stellar field to claim the Philippine Ladies Open.

“I’m happy winning the trophy. It’s my second win in a decade,” said Kawinpakorn, moments after beating compatriot Chonlada Chayanun by two to capture the ICTSI South Forbes Ladies Invitational crown at the South Forbes Golf Club yesterday.

The margin of victory didn’t reflect by which she dominated the final round, most specifically local ace Princess Superal, who birdied the last three holes in the second day to force a tie heading to the final 18 holes of the P750,000 championship sponsored by ICTSI.

That generated some kind of excitement, a promise of a day-long shootout for the crown in the season-ending tournament of a record 11-stage Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

But Kawinpakorn turned it into a victory walk, bucking the wind and pulling away from Superal after 10 holes before edging Chayanun by two despite double-bogeys in the last two holes.

With Superal grappling with her balky putter, Kawinpakorn went 4-up with an even card after 10 holes as the Filipina bet fumbled with two bogeys and a double-bogey and the Thai veteran bucked a shaky windup to card a 71 and foil Chayanun by two with a five-over 206 total.

“I knew I could win here because the course is short. But we had to deal with the wind that blew from all directions all tournament-long,” said Kawinpakorn, after receiving the top P150,000 purse from Philippine Golf Tour executive director Narlene Soriano during awards rites at the close of the record 11-stage Ladies PGT circuit.

Three behind Kawinpakorn at the start of the final round, Chayanun fell by as many as seven shots after 16 holes but gained a three-shot swing with a birdie on No. 17. But she ran out of holes in her comeback bid, finishing with a 70 and pocketing P95,000 for second with a 208.

It was Chayanun’s second straight runner-up effort after a 1-2-3 romp by the Thais in the Philippine Ladies Masters won by Renuka Suksukont at The Country Club two weeks ago.

And it was a sorry finish for Superal, who had hoped for a big windup after that fiery finish in the second round. But she failed to recover from a bogey-bogey miscue from No. 6 and a double-bogey mishap on the par-3 No. 10, no thanks to shaky putting that produced three-putts and a four-putt miscue.

She dropped another stroke on No. 13, double bogeyed the 15th and wound up with a birdie-par-bogey finish for a 74, ending up third at 209 worth P60,000 in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Chihiro Ikeda, five behind Kawinparkorn after 36 holes, blew a one-under card after nine holes with a roller-coaster finish marred by a double-bogey on the final hole. The recent Forest Hills leg winner placed fourth with a 210 while Dottie Ardina failed to follow up a second round 68 with a 73, marred by a triple bogey seven on the final hole. She ended up fifth with a 211 in the tournament backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.

Kristine Torralba carded a 72 and placed sixth with a 215, nipping Samantha Dizon for the low amateur honors in the season-ending tournament of the record 11-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Dizon, who matched par 67 in the first round, wavered with a 77 and finished seventh at 218 followed by Thais Sarinee Thitiratanakorn and Numa Gulyanamitta, who shared ninth place at 220 after a 74 and 76, respectively.
Four-leg winner and LPGT Order of Merit winner Pauline del Rosario hobbled with a 79 and wound up 10th with a 226.