Ikeda clinches LPGT playoff win over Thai

ANTIPOLO – Chihiro Ikeda survived a bogey duel with Wannasiri Sirisampant at the end of regulation then nipped the Thai with a routine par in sudden death to capture the ICTSI Forest Hills Ladies Challenge at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

On their second trip on the par-4 18th, Ikeda made it in two while Sirisampant overshot the green and needed a 12-foot putt for par that came up short, enabling the Fil-Japanese to clinch the victory from three feet while ending the latter’s quest for a follow-up to her maiden win at Orchard last year.

“It’s been a while since I last won but it was worth the wait,” said Ikeda, who barely forced a playoff at 218 with a 75 after Sirisampant matched her bogeybogey windup in regulation for a 76. “My hard work and training with coach Bong (Lopez) paid off.”

Ikeda, who fell by two behind Sirisampant after 18 holes and moved within one Thursday, fell behind by four as the Thai birdied the first two holes and former bogeyed No. 3. But Ikeda gunned down birdies on Nos. 12 and 14 and grabbed a one-stroke lead as Sirisampant bogeyed No. 11 and dropped two strokes on No. 13.

But the Thai birdied No. 14 to draw level and the duo matched closing bogeys to set the stage for the playoff at 218. Ikeda took the P150,000 purse with the 26-yearold Thai and winner at Southwoods in 2015 settling for P95,000.