Top Pinay amateur Ikeda to see action in Japan ladies tour

Chihiro Ikeda, the country’s leading lady amateur, will get her another chance to be with professional stars as she is set to participate in the Japan Ladies Golf Tour’s 2010 Suntory Ladies Open from June 10 to 13 at the Rokko Kokusai Golf Club in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The Suntory Ladies Open is an annual regular golf tournament on the LPGA of Japan Tour which was first played in 1990. This year’s prize fund is ¥100,000,000 (P511,959) with Japan’s Shinobu Moromizato as the defending champion. Ikeda, who is riding high on her come-from-behind victory in the recent 21st Singapore Ladies Amateur Open Championship, is looking forward to her Japan stint which will serve as one of her preparatory tournaments before she turns pro after the 2010 Asian Games. "This will certainly help boost Chihiro’s confidence. Beginning with the Suntory, she’ll be joining more ladies pro events in the coming months," said ICTSI golf team head and national team coach Bong Lopez. The 18-year-old had already played in a Ladies European Tour tournament. In November, she’ll try her luck in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Earlier this year, LPGA star Jennifer Rosales said that Ikeda has the length off the tees and the right mind-set to compete for a playing card in the tour. Ikeda averages 260 yards on her drive that powered the Philippine team to a golden double at the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games. "I think Chihiro is ready to qualify for the LPGA," said Rosales, the former five-time RP Ladies champ. – JVP, Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV