Golf: Filipina Ikeda part of Skins Game in inaugural Lydia Ivana Memorial tourney

Indonesia — Chihiro Ikeda, a top-ranked Filipina professional, is one of four featured players in the “Skins Game” of the inaugural Lydia Ivana Memorial Golf Tournament set at the Senayan National Golf Club.
                  
Ikeda, who placed third in the just-concluded ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational, will be joined by Thailand’s Nontaya Srisawang, Vietnam’s Tang Thi-nhung and Indonesia’s Inez Putri in the match Sunday.
                  
A Skins Game is a special type of competition wherein four golfers go head-to-head, not to keep score as usual in the game but to get money as each of the 18 holes correspond to a certain amount. The player with most money at the end of round wins the game.
                  
Aside from the Skins, there will also be a regular tournament, which is now part of the Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT).  A lot of players have signed up, mostly friends of Lydia Ivana.
                  
“This is for Lydia who was a very good friend,” said Ikeda, who is with swing mentor and women’s national coach Bong Lopez.
                  
Lydia Ivana Jaya was the first Indonesian female golf pro, who actively participated in different tours around the world until her untimely death. The memorial tournament will commemorate and honor her spirit and dream of bringing Indonesian golf into the highest level.
                  
In this tournament, the quartet of Ikeda, Nontaya, Tang and Inez, who was the winner of the 2012 Miss Indonesia pageant, will help raise funds for the foundations, orphanages and golf academy supported by Lydia Ivana.

“Although we felt in deep sorrow that we learned we have lost one of our dear members, LAGT is proud to be involved in this memorial event and will do its best to assist,” said LAGT president Koichi Kato.

Indonesia Golf Association (PGI) and Indonesia PGA (IPGA) share a deep loss and they both support and look forward to this maiden event.  They hope that this will inspire junior golfers, especially girls, to put their commitment to golf and be the next Lydia Ivana. - AMD, GMA News