Harmie Constantino expects to dish out more of the same of what she flaunted in winning the ICTSI Aoki Classic at Eagle Ridge last week, although she and the rest face a different kind of challenge in the ICTSI Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Challenge unfolding Tuesday at the Tagaytay Highlands Golf and Country Club.
“I’m expecting well from myself,” said Constantino, eager to get going again after holding off amateur Mafy Singson by one to score a repeat at Aoki. She launched her pro career there with a two-shot victory over Princess Superal last March.
“I hope that the way I played (at Aoki) will be the same way I would be playing at Highlands.”
But it will take a lot of adjustments, not just from her but from the rest of the 21-player cast. The Highlands layout is a different test than Aoki, with the wind factor as well as its up-and-down layout. It will definitely put into focus the field’s stamina and condition.
Superal dominated the last time Highlands hosted the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour in 2018 but the multi-titled shotmaker is now in Japan to pursue her bid for an LPGA of Japan Tour card, leaving Constantino and the likes of Chihiro Ikeda, Chanelle Avaricio, Marvi Monsalve, Sunshine Baraquiel and Daniella Uy to dispute the crown in the second of four LPGT events the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. has lined up for the third restart of the country’s premier ladies circuit put up by ICTSI.
Ikeda edged Pauline del Rosario in sudden death to win at the adjacent Tagaytay Midlands in 2019 but the former SEA Games gold medalist’s game somewhat took a downswing after sustaining a hand injury although her strong finish at Aoki where she rallied to snatch third place should augur well for her Highlands campaign.
Avaricio, runner-up to Superal at Sherwood Hills and Eagle Ridge-Norman before the circuit took a break due to the surge of Covid-19 cases in NCR Plus last July, is also tipped to contend again this week after fighting back from out of nowhere to fourth place last week.
Beefing up the Highlands cast is Arnie Taguines, who skipped last week’s event but is expected to figure in the title race in the 54-hole tournament while resuming her drive for a second low amateur honors after besting her rivals at Eagle Ridge-Norman.
Others in the fold are Lovelyn Guiogio, Sheryl Villesencio, Sarah Ababa, Apple Fudolin, Pamela Mariano, Eva Miñoza, and Florence Bisera with Gretchen Villacencio also joining the chase after missing the action at Aoki.
The talented bunch of amateurs is also expected to muddle up the race with Singson out to complete any unfinished business along with Laurea Duque, Burberry Zhang, Keena Puzon, Korean Jane Jeong, and Eagle Ace Superal, who is out to atone for her poor finish at Aoki.
Meanwhile, the Riviera Golf and Country Club in Silang, Cavite, which hosted the first LPGT restart late last year after an eight-month hiatus, will stage the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Challenge on Nov. 24-26 and the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Championship on Dec. 1-3 at the Couples and Langers courses.
