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SOUTH AUSTRALIA: An early test of will and character faces the
Philippine ladies squad as it opens its campaign in the Espirito
Santo Trophy of the World Amateur Golf Team Championships beginning
Wednesday at the Grange Golf Club’s east and west courses in
Adelaide here.
Reigning national champion Anya Tanpinco and
fellow ICTSI teammates Chihiro Ikeda and Louise Manalo mix it up
with the Swedish and Austrian bets in the first round of the
three-to-play, two-to-count format event spread over four days at
the wind-raked par-72 layout.
The team had two practice rounds after arriving
Saturday and found the course quite long and the conditions tougher
with the presence of the wind, not to mention the competing field
which remains as talent-laden as ever.
“It will take a lot of effort and luck
to score low here. But they are ready. They have prepared long and
hard for this one. Hopefully, we get into a good start,” said
national team coach Bong Lopez.
The RP girls, whose trip is sponsored by the
Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Airlines as official
carrier, Stradcom Corp., Dynamic Sports and LORO Shirts, the
official outfitter, will be trying to improve on the joint 30th
finish by the 2006 team in South Africa.
“We hope that they will be able to adjust to
the windy conditions here,” said NGAP Director and team captain
Pablo Soon.
Tanpinco, also winner of the Selangor Ladies Am
in August, hopes to provide the experience for the team while Queen
Sirikit veterans Ikeda and Manalo the fire of the youth although
they would have to double their effort against the Swedes, runner-up
to South Africa in the last edition of the biennial event.
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