PGT Asia Pradera unwraps in Lubao
JHONNEL Ababa has the momentum coming off a runaway win, Clyde Mondilla Tony Lascuña and Justin Quiban are ready for a rebound in what promises to be an explosive start of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Classic in Lubao, Pampanga today.
have also primed themselves up for this week’s $100,000 championship, guaranteeing a shootout - tained par-72 Pradera Verde course hoping to hold its ground against the expected charge of the men of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia.
- who broke a three-year title spell with a seven-stroke victory at Eagle Ridge last week, joining the elite roster of PGT Asia winners that included Miguel Tabuena (Southwoods), Rene Menor (Splendido), Mondilla (Riviera), Lascuña (Wack
as Ababa, Mondilla and Lascuña are paired in the featured 8:10 a.m. and the needed momentum for their respective drive for a second crown in the circuit put up by
who vied in last week’s Singapore Open where he missed the cut but learned a lot after competing against some of the world’s leading players.
SHANGHAI: When Feng as the women’s No.1 golfer she marked the historic achievement by ordering steak at Dallas airport and sending a photo of it to her parents.
The 28- year- old had every reason to celebrate even while Chinese—male or female—to top the golf world rankings.
- nese on the women’s US-based either gender to triumph at a major championship, in 2012; and in 2016 she won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.
Her latest feat, in November, underlined the growing heft of China in a sport that was banned under Mao Zedong because he considered it too bourgeois.
But Feng is not your typical Chinese—hence the steak celebration and cow-print trousers she wears on the golf course—and the image of her spending hours repetitively hitting golf balls would not quite be correct either.
“She is more into quality versus quantity, but also she is a person Feng’s long- time swing coach Gary Gilchrist.
- derstands that the key to this game is more about preparation and mental toughness than anything Feng “a golfing mother to the - ing success.
Feng’s ascension to the top came a decade after she turned professional and was sealed with back-to-back LPGA victories late on home soil on Hainan island.
‘At least I’m alive’
She may be tough but Feng also said Lascuña, who beat American Nicolas Paez by two at PGTA Wack 12th in the CAT Open at Luisita last month and tied for fourth at Eagle Ridge last week.
Lascuna, the former three-time PGT Order of Merit winner, underscored his readiness by winning the pro-am tournament yesterday, leading his team that included Jay Valdez, Elimar Caranguian and card for a two-stroke victory over Dutch Guido Van der Valk, Dexter Pelias, Fernando Lim and Louie Nemi Pagtakhan, Pol Tolentino
to place third in the 18-hole knows how to have fun—those cow-print trousers and other colorful clothing—and typically celebrates victory with a hearty meal, a spot of karaoke or a splurge at the shops, preferably on handbags.
She is frequently described as having the best sense of humour in women’s golf, but she is less comfortable with one other tag often attached to her.
climbing to the top ranking.
“Before me there was nobody (from China) on the LPGA and actually experiencing tour life.
that she would play 10 LPGA sea- event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y.
Meanwhile, Mike Singgaran, designer of the 27-hole layout at the vast Pradera Verde complex, also expects torrid scoring from the elite international cast but hopes the wind to blow hard to add up to the challenge.
wind so it will give more challenge
scored a breakthrough in the CAT Open but wound up joint eighth at Eagle Ridge, drew veteran Elmer Salvador and Michael Bibat in the sons and then retire, but 2018 will
Feng hails from the southern city of Guangzhou and names Gilchrist and her father Feng Xiong the game aged 10, when golf was still a mystery to most Chinese.
After bronze in 2016 she wants to win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to add to her nearly $10 million in LPGA career earnings and nine tour titles.
Hunger to win
- ber one of last year but veteran sports writer Spencer Robinson, who has closely followed her career, says that she has the self-belief to atone for his missed cut stint last week, will tee off in the following of Joenard Rates and Thai Pasavee Lertvilai, whom he nipped in a re
Others tipped to contend for - pore’s Choo Tze Huang, Aussies Rick Coleman, David Gleeson Elki Kow and Clement Kurniawan, Macedonian Peter Stojanovski and Dutch Guido Van der Valk along with local aces Jay Bayron, Rufino Bayron, Jobim Carlos, Charles Hong, Mars Pucay, Marvin Dumandan, Mhark Fernando and veteran Frankie Miñoza. to stay at the top in 2018.
“Shanshan just loves playing - event of the year, in the Bahamas
“Given the natural talent she possesses, as long as she maintains that attitude and desire, she’ll re Robinson, who believes that Feng will add to her tally of major wins in the coming years.
Another major is Feng’s stated goal for 2018.
Robinson.
“Any time she has a bad break, Shanshan has this admirable ability to block it out—and bounce