Cyna Rodriguez Wins 2010 Philippine Ladies Open

From the Inquirer...

Rodriguez tops RP Ladies Open; Ikeda trips

By Musong R. Castillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:30:00 01/16/2010

CARMONA, Cavite — Cyna Rodriguez finally fulfilled the promise she showed in winning the 13-14 division of the Junior World championship in 2006 in San Diego.

Shooting a brilliant 5-under-par 67, the 18-year-old Rodriguez captured the 48th Philippine Ladies’ Open golf championship pulling away yesterday at the wind-swept Legends course of the Manila Southwoods here.

Rodriguez overhauled a three-shot overnight deficit after just two holes and won by seven strokes with a 54-hole 210 total over Lovelyn Guioguio, a long shot from Del Monte who rallied with a 71.

Guioguio nipped by one stroke Laos Southeast Asian Games star Chihiro Ikeda, leader in the first two rounds with a 67-73 who wobbled in the final round with a 78 for 218.

“This (victory) is definitely sweeter (than the other ones I’ve had),” said Rodriguez, a golf scholar taking up psychology at the University of Southern California. “Mainly because I am playing at home, and nothing beats that.”

Tied for second with Irina Gabasa at the start of the day, Rodriguez, who had earlier rounds of 73-70, secured her first national title with six birdies, four of them in her final nine holes.

Using the punch shot to battle the howling gusts, she capped her big effort with a downhill six-footer on the 18th, igniting a loud celebration from a small gallery that included her parents.

Ikeda, who powered the RP ladies team to victory while topping the individual race in the last SEA Games, never recovered from a bogey-triple bogey start. She three-putted the first hole, then needed four putts on No. 2 after missing the green.

“Everything that could go wrong went wrong today,” the burly Ikeda, an 18-year-old long-hitter who is entertaining thoughts of trying it out for the LPGA Tour this year, told scribes in Filipino. “I wasn’t able to recover from that bad start.”

Regina de Guzman, the former child wonder, fashioned out a 73 and checked in fourth with a 222 tally, while Anya Tanpinco, the former match play champion, returned a 75 for fifth spot at 226.

Dottie Ardina checked in with a similar 73 for 227, tied with three others, including Gabasa, for fifth spot.

The pint-sized Gabasa, after shooting a course record 65 to gain a final-round pairing with Rodriguez and Ikeda, came down to earth with an 84 that included 39 putts.

South Korean Shine Lee, last year’s joint second placer, churned out a 76 to catch Malaysian Vivienne Chi Ven Yi, who fired an 80, as the top foreign finisher at 228.

Lou Daniella Uy of Valley Golf fired a 77 for 236 to rule Class A action by eight shots over Wack Wack’s Nicole Serapio, who fired an 83.

Charlene Abalos of Wack Wack finished off a wire-to-wire Class B romp with an 89 for 265, nine clear of Japan’s Maki Kageyama (88).

The final scores:
210—C. Rodriguez 73-70-67; 217—L. Guioguio 72-74-71; 218—C. Ikeda 67-73-78; 222—R. De Guzman 74-75-73; 226—A. Tanpinco 77-74-75; 227—I. Gabasa 78-65-84, D. Ardina 77-77-73, A. Unson 78-74-75, A. Fudolin 73-76-78; 228—V. Ven Yi (MAS) 77-71-80, S. Lee (KOR) 74-78-76; 230—M. Kang (KOR) 76-74-80, S. Ababa 78-77-75; 231—A. Pan Hering (MAS) 77-78-76; 232—M. Monsalve 77-79-76; 233—I. Chandra (INA) 74-78-81; 235—G. Handog 72-79-84; 236—G. Marquet (FRA) 75-77-84; 237—L. Landicho 77-77-83; 240—A. Sabater 78-80-82; 241—J. Poh (SIN) 80-84-77; 242—N. Sparudin (MAS) 81-76-85; 243—K. Hwee (SIN) 80-81-82

Anya Tanpinco Tops 45th Southern Ladies

Going out with four birdies and then holding on for a remarkable 56 points, Anya Tanpinco gained the advantage above the rest including Chihiro Ikeda and Eva Miñoza to win the 45th Southern Ladies golf championship at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin, Murcia, Negros Occidental.

Despite a bogey on the 18th par-3, the Southeast Asian Games silver medalist forged ahead with 54-hole total of 160 points.

16-year-old Ikeda, winner of the Philippine Ladies Open and the DHL Open, spoiled her attempt for a third straight crown in six weeks as she scored double bogey-5 on the 18th. She closed out with 53 points for 159, the same total of Miñoza of Del Monte, but settled for third place after a countback.

Bacolod Golf and Country Club captured the team championship with 238 points, beating Victorias Secrets (232) and Young Ones (224) in the 45th edition of the Southern Ladies.

In the lead for as Class A Champion was Gretchen Villavicencio, of ICTSI, who executed the feat with a 133 after a 39, beating Gaby Monfort of Negros (42-129) and Cara Golez of Bacolod (48-127).

Queenie Bautista of NOGCC (Marapara) ruled Class B with a 118 after a 42 followed by Nani Cruz (37-107) of Philippine Navy and Leni Cabili (37-101), respectively.

Sonie Montelibano of Bacolod rallied with a 36 to win the Class C title with a 104. Chip Querubin (35) of Iloilo and Pueblo's Terry Solitaria (31) finished second and third with 101 and 100, respectively.

Negros' Vicky Berdeflor topped Group D with an 88 after a 28, defeating Iloilo's Mari Rose Cacho (27-84) and Tess Cornelius (32-78), while Joyce Duque of Alabang copped the seniors crown with a 76 (36-40) over Nelly Javellana (35-39-74) of Alabang, Maria Brumann (35-38-73) of Alabang and Cynthia Capay (37-36-73) of Victorias.

Southern Ladies Golf Tournament at Binitin

Golfing excitement heats up as more teams are expected to sign up for the Southern Ladies golf tournament on Feb. 6-8 at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin, Negros Occidental. To date, sixteen teams are gunning for top honors in the 45th staging of the event.

Amidst the setback of the recent demise of her husband, the former Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Montelibano Jr., Jhay Montelibano spearheads the host Bacolod Golf and Country Club together with Susan Yulo. Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club also known as the Marapara team also figured in the early roster of teams competing in the 54-hole tournament, which also features the individual competition.

Also gunning for the honors are Alabang Golf Club, Alta Vista, Canlubang, Cebu Country Club, Del Monte Golf Club, Philippine Navy, Iloilo Golf Club, Pueblo de Oro, Pamplona, Iligan Golf Club, Tagaytay Highlands, Valley Golf Club, Wack Wack.

ICTSI is also fielding its own team composed of the country’s top players, headed by reigning RP Ladies Open champion Chihiro Ikeda, SEA Games silver medallist Anya Tanpinco, Sarah Ababa, Louise Manalo, Gretchen Villavicencio, Carmelette Villaroman, Lora Roberto and Mariel Candinato.

Korean Crystal Shin of Del Monte seeks a three-peat feat in the individual competition of the event, sponsored by DHL-WWWExpress, Hans Brumann Jeweler, Petron Corp., Directories Philippines Corp., Yellow Pages and Philippine Sports Commission. Masters Sports is the event’s hole-in-one sponsor while the Business Inn, Bacolod is the official hotel. Shin humble a talent-laden field in 2006 in Del Monte and retaining the crown in Iloilo last year but is expected to encounter stiff resistance from members of the ICTSI squad.

Registration is ongoing, according to the organizing National Golf Association of the Phils. Tournament fee pegged at P2,000 per player. Deadline is set on Feb. 5.

Girl Talk

A few quotes from my favorite actress, Sela Ward:

1. Remember in old movies when women used to swoon and "take to the bed" for days at a time? That never happens. We're stronger than that. That being said, if we ever decide to "take to the bed" for days at a time, there's not a thing you can do about it.

2. Sometimes we think we really understand men. Then we regain consciousness.

3. Superskinny women really irritate us. We hate when they say, "Sometimes I just forget to eat." Now, I've forgotten my anniversary and where I parked my car. But I've never forgotten to eat.

4. We do like to have sex, just not at midnight when we have to get up at the crack of dawn to feed two kids, three dogs, and a pair of fat goldfish.

5. We'll gladly agree to stop complaining about our "time of the month" if men will kindly take over the little chores of childbearing, morning sickness, and postpartum emotional swings. Deal?

6. Women really do want to be on time. It's just that everything starts so darned early.

7. We know high heels are sexy, but we'll take our comfy black Uggs any day of the week.

8. Homespun wisdom from someone who knows: Just because we're southern belles doesn't mean we have bats in our belfries.

9. We really do like to cook. It's just that we cooked so much for our boyfriends before we got married that we're sick of being in the kitchen. Sorry you missed it.

10. Men are free to think they're the boss, as long as they know we're the chairman of the board.