Ikeda-led PHL women's team to vie for Queen Sirikit title

The four-member Philippine amateur women's team left for India on Saturday hoping to win the country’s first title in the Queen Sirikit Cup Asia-Pacific Ladies Invitational Golf Team Championship at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi, India on March 9 to 11. Laos Southeast Asian Games individual gold medalist Chihiro Ikeda leads the Philippine team that also includes Dottie Ardina, Jayvie Agojo and Lovelyn Guioguio. The Women's Golf Association of the Philippines (WGAP) has tapped national team coach Bong Lopez to guide the country’s women's team. Lopez said the women's amateur team for the 33rd edition of the golfing event, held in honor of Thailand's Queen Sirikit, is a championship-caliber quartet. "This is probably one of the best teams we will be sending to represent the country. I am confident of a good showing," said Lopez, who is also at the helm of the ICTSI golf program, which has been producing talents for the country’s national pool. Ikeda, the ICTSI golf team stalwart, is the expected frontrunner as she is coming off two victories at the Philippine Ladies Amateur Open and the Southern Ladies Championship. Agojo is a strong contender too. She is gaining back her confidence since going on board the ICTSI stable in July 2010. Her best finish was a runner-up in the China Amateur Open late last year. Ardina is raring to get back to her winning ways especially now that she has fine-tuned her swing while Guioguio will be the alternate. The three-day event features teams from 14 countries including defending champion Korea. In addition, this is only the third time in history that full participation is guaranteed. The other two was in the Philippines (2007) and in Japan (2008). – Adrian Flores, JVP, GMA News