Constantino targets record run in Valley
HARMIE CONSTANTINO— coming off a playoff victory at Luisita and a come-frombehind win at Villamor—chases a third straight championship in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Valley Golf Challenge which unwraps Tuesday in Antipolo City.
Although Epson Tour campaigner Pauline del Rosario had won four championships in a dominant Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) rookie season in 2017 which she spiked with a stirring victory in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour of Taiwan, no player has racked up three straight victories in the country’s premier ladies circuit put up by ICTSI.
After two failed bids, del Rosario won back-to-back at Orchard and Baguio, triumphed again at Pradera Verde after yielding the crown to Abby Arevalo at Riviera and reigned again at Splendido Taal after placing third at Forest Hills.
“I’ll just stick to my game plan—hit the fairways and greens and make the most of my birdie chances,” said Constantino after completing her triumphant rally at Villamor last week.
But the rolling Valley South poses a far more daunting challenge for the LPGT field from each tee mound all the way to the green with terrors lurking from every corner of a course which requires accuracy and sound decision-making.
Constantino, in fact, posted a 16over 231 total when she tied for third in last year’s Valley Ladies Challenge topped by top amateur Rianne Malixi, who outgunned the pro field and beat Chihiro Ikeda by 13 strokes.
But with the talented Constantino in great shape and exuding confidence, the former national champion, who also marked her debut in 2021 with two victories, both at Eagle Ridge-aoki, is all ready for a crack at a record run in the P750,000 championship.
Ikeda, however, will be riding on her runner-up finish at Villamor to spark a title campaign while Sarah Ababa, Gretchen Villacencio, Florence Bisera and Daniella Uy are all keen on mounting their respective bids in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and held side-by-side with the 72-hole men’s championship.
Completing the cast are Sheryl Villacensio, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Miñoza, Apple Fudolin, Korean Juyoung Yang, the comebacking Martina Miñoza and Lesley Icoy, and young guns Rev Alcantara and Monica Mandario.