Dottie Ardina hopes to build some momentum for her LPGA Tour campaign as she shoots for the crown in the ICTSI Beverly Place Ladies Classic set to unwrap Wednesday (Jan. 23) at the Beverly Place Golf Club in Mexico, Pampanga.

Ardina has had not much success in the last Ladies Philippine Golf Tour event she had played at Pradera Verde last December, finishing a distant third despite coming into the event brimming with confidence following her clinching of a full LPGA card with a strong second place finish in the Symetra Tour.

But she expects to figure prominently in the title race this week with a victory to bolster her confidence as she slugs it out with the world’s best starting in the Women’s Australian Open next month.

But she will be up against one of the strongest casts ever assembled in an LPGT event, led by a strong Thai contingent out to reassert its domination of the circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Though Yupaporn Kawinpakorn won’t be around to defend the crown she won over Chihiro Ikeda last year, the country’s perennial regional rivals are well represented by the likes of Wannasiri Sirisampant, Saraporn Chamchoi, Mookharin Ladgratok, Saruttaya Ngam-usawan and Tiranan Yoopan.

Two-time LPGT Champion Tour winner Lee Jeong Hwa of Korea is also in the fold together with compatriot Lee Ji Hyeon, who surprised the elite field in the ICTSI Camp John Hay Ladies Championship last Oct., which also served as the kickoff leg of the new LPGT season.

But Ardina won’t only be facing a talent-laden foreign crew but also the best of local golf could offer as Princess Superal, Pauline del Rosario, Cyna Rodriguez and Ikeda boost the stellar cast in the P750,000 event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.

Action is expected to be fierce with only the top 15 plus ties from among the 40 starters advancing to the final round of the 54-hole tournament that also drew amateurs Mafy Singson, Samantha Dizon, Eagle Ace Superal and Arnie Taguines of The Country Club along with Laurea Duque and Marianne Bustos.