Golf in Davao and in other parts of the Philippines

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

NZ ace foils Dabawenya in semis

Top seed and New Zealand champion Lydia Ko outshot and outplayed Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda
in tough, cold condition and ran away with a 7&6 rout to reach the finals of the
New Zealand Women’s Amateur in Christchurch Monday.

Ko, who dominated the 72-hole stroke play tournament last week, remained on
track of a double championship as she dominated the Fil-Japanese bet in the
early going en route to victory.

The 14-year-old find, the world No. 3 in the ranks, will dispute the crown with
compatriot Cecilia Cho, who also routed Caryn Khoo, 5&4, in the other semifinal
match.

Ikeda, 18, struggled for form in 7 degrees Celsius condition with intermittent
rain and never recovered from a poor start, settling for joint third place
finish with Khoo.

“The conditions were tough and some holes have difficult pin placements that it
was hard to get your shots to stop next to them,” said Ikeda.

It was a sorry setback for the ICTSI-backed squad, which sent three players in
the quarterfinals with Jayvie Agojo and Lovelynn Guioguio bowing out and Ikeda
hurdling Julianne Alvarez, 4&3.PR

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Davao's Ikeda rips foe, reaches semis

Dabawenya Chihiro Ikeda knocked off fourth seed Julianne Alvarez with an emphatic 4&3
victory to arrange a semifinal showdown with top seed Lydia Ko in the 2011 New
Zealand Women's Amateur Golf Championship Match Play in Christchurch, New
Zealand Sunday.
Ikeda, reaching peak form, gunned down two birdies and rescued pars twice at the
Russley Golf Club to dominate Alvarez in their morning showdown for a spot in
the Last 4 of the tournament featuring the leading players in the Asia-Pacific
region.
But the Fil-Japanese spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad will be facing the most
feared player in the fold, who foiled what could’ve been an all-Pinay semis with
a 4&2 romp over Lovelynn Guioguio.
Ikeda, however, hopes to use her experience against the talented 14-year-old Ko,
the reigning NZ amateur champion who topped the 72-hole stroke play competition
last week.
No. 6 Caryn Khoo, meanwhile, upset third seed Jayvie Agojo in the lower half of
the draw, outlasting the former Philippine Ladies Open champion on the 20th hole
to clinch the other semis berth.
Second seed Cecilia Cho held off Laura Hoskin, 2&1, to set up a clash with Cho
for the other finals seat.
It was a heartbreaking setback for Agojo, who had hoped to stay on track for a
golden double after teaming up with Sarah Ababa to win the NZ Foursomes crown
last week.
But the fifth-seed Ikeda, winner of this year’s Phl Ladies Amateur Open and the
Thailand Ladies Am titles, remains hopeful of her chances as she tries to
sustain her 7&6 romp over Grace Senior in the first round a 3&2 win over Kate
Chadwik in the last 16 phase.PR

Pinays barge into NZ match play quarters

Jayvie Agojo, Lovelynn Guioguio and Chihiro Ikeda each posted back-to-back victories Saturday to roll into the quarterfinal round of the match play event of the 2011 New Zealand Women's Amateur Golf Championship in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Agojo, seeking a followup to her victory in last week’s NZ Foursomes with ICTSI teammate Sarah Ababa, needed an extra hole to nip Hanna Seifert, 1-up, in the first round of the knockout phase then clobbered Jaime McIvor, 5&3, in the second round to make it to the Last 8.

Guioguio also edged Emily Eng, 1-up, in the morning match then dominated Saini Skudder, 5&4, in the afternoon to arrange a quarterfinal showdown with world No. 2 and stroke play champion Lydia Ko.

Ikeda, chasing another crown after winning the Philippine Ladies Amateur and the Southern Ladies Open crowns, routed Grace Senior, 7&6, in the first round then fashioned out a 3&2 romp over Kate Chadwik in the last 16 phase.

“After scoring two wins in the day, the girls are excited of their chances. They are in high spirits and oozing with confidence. I just hope they will sustain their form in the quarters,” said ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez.

The Fil-Japanese spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad will play Julianne Alvarez for a berth in the semifinal round of NZ’s premier amateur championship. Alvarez ripped Brianna Maynard, 4&3, then whipped Ceyln Khoo, 7&6, in the second round.

Agojo, who placed third in the stroke play event, battles Caryn Khoo in the lower bracket after the latter beat Jesse Hamilton, 3&2.

Ababa, however, fell by the wayside in the KO stage first round, dropping a close 1-up decision to Laura Hoskin, who went on to defeat Jess Guenzerodt, 1-up, to reach the quarters against second seed Cecilia Cho, who bundled out Imogen Donnelly, 6&5, and Emily Perry, 4&3, in their side of the duel.PR

Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club Monthly Medal Tournament results for April

Go to:
Complete Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club Monthly Medal Tournament results.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Agojo, Davao's Ababa cop NZ Foursomes crown

Jayvie Agojo (left) and Dabawenya Sarah Ababa hold their championship trophy after winning
the NZ Foursomes Championship.

Jayvie Agojo and Dabawenya Sarah Ababa pooled a 153 as Team Philippines-ICTSI ruled the
2011 New Zealand Foursomes Championship for the second straight year at the
Russley Golf Course in Christchurch, New Zealand last Tuesday.
Agojo, the former Phl Ladies Open champion, and Ababa, winner of last year’s
Malaysian Jr Open, bucked the cold weather and tough playing condition at the
par-74 layout as they combined for rounds of 76 and 77 to nip local bets
Julianne Alvarez and Barbara Parreno by one in the alternate shot format event.
“We just complemented each other’s game. When she was playing bad, I hit the
good shots and vice versa,” said Agojo after snapping a couple of heartbreaking
finishes in her comeback from a long layoff.
Alvarez and Parreno struggled in the first round with a 79 and fell short of
their bid with a 75, settling for second with a 154 while fellow Kiwis Emily
Perry and Chantelle Cassidy wound up third with a 155 after a 78-77.
Chihiro Ikeda and Lovelynn Guioguio, who romped away with last year’s crown at
the Napier Golf Club in Napier, NZ, groped for form with a pair of 81s and
hobbled in seventh place with a 162.
But Agojo and Ababa got the job done, combining for three birdies against five
bogeys to lead the 18-team field after 18 holes. They slowed down in the second
round with two birdies against five bogeys but made a couple of clutch pars in
the closing holes to hold off Alvarez and Parreno and retain the crown for the
ICTSI-backed squad.
“The course was tough and the greens were super fast. But they held on, making
two saved pars in the closing holes to clinch the win,” said ICTSI golf team
coach Bong Lopez.
The victory augured well for Team ICTSI’s campaign in NZ with Agojo, Sarah and
company going for another crown in the Stroke Play Championship slated April
20-22 before competing in the Match Play Championship on April 23-26, also at
the Russley layout.PR