Philippines Masters champ joins LPGT Malarayat hun

Thai Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul (second from right) holds her trophy as she poses with (from left) Splendido Taal Golf Club general manager Teboy Javier, low amateur Yuka Saso and Chen Mei-chi, chairlady of the Taiwan LPGA after ruling the ICTSI Champion Tour, the kickoff leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and third stage of the TLPGA recently.Photo: philSTAR

Reigning Philippine Ladies Masters winner Saranporn Langkulgasettrin sets out for another major crown here as she joins the hunt in the ICTSI Champion Tour at Malarayat, which gets going tomorrow at the Mt. Malarayat composite course in Lipa City, Batangas.

Langkulgasettrin missed last week’s ICTSI Champion Tour at Splendido ruled by compatriot Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul but 17-year-old rising star from Phuket is all primed up for this week’s $75,000 event, ready to take the cudgels for the big 25-player Thai contingent against a crack international field, led by the country’s top players.

Muangkhumsakul has begged off to honor a previous commitment to play in China but with Langkulgasettrin as spearhead, together with former ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour champion Wannasiri Sirisampant, the Thais are upbeat of their chances to sweep the first two legs of this year’s ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour which also serve as part of the Taiwan LPGA.

Langkulgasettrin beat Korean Lee Jeong-hwa by three to win the inaugural Phl Ladies Masters at Alabang Golf Club last December but the former Thai LPGA Tour winner expects a tougher challenge this time, especially from the bunch of local aces out to redeem themselves from their failed bid last week.

They include rookie pro Pauline del Rosario, who finished joint second at Splendido, and Symetra Tour-bound Mia Piccio, Cyna Rodriguez, Princess Superal and Dottie Ardina.

Meanwhile, Langkulgasettrin, Sirisampant and Taiwanese Chen Min-jou, Pan Yen-ling and Hsin Lee join the Pinay shotmakers in today’s pro-am tournament with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including ICTSI, BDO, Champion, Custom Clubmakers, Empire Golf and Sports Shop, KZG, Sharp, Summit Mineral Water, Titleist and Event Captain.

Former LPGT leg champion Hwang Ye-nah of Korea, who bested a tough international field at LPGT Southlinks in 2015, is also in the fold along with Japanese Ai Asano, Ai Tanaka and Hidemi Nakamura, all geared up to vie for the top $15,000 purse.- philSTAR

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