STA. ROSA, Laguna – This is one tournament Sung Hyun Park expects not to lose.
A day after emerging as the world No. 1 following her victory in the Women’s World Championship last Sunday, the Korean ace flaunts her world-class skills here, her sights trained on marking her rise to the top with a victory in the first $100,000 The Country Club Ladies Invitational beginning today at the wind-raked TCC layout.
Her early clash with Filipina LPGA Tour campaigner Dottie Ardina and top amateur and reigning Asian Games gold medalist Yuka Saso should stir up interest although a lot of aces are raring to sneak into early contention and get a piece of the spotlight.
They include TLPGA stalwarts Babe Liu, Hsin Lee, Tzu-Chi Lin, Ching Huang and Chia Pei Lee, former LPGT winners from Thailand, led by multi-titled Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, Saruttaya Ngam-usawan, Renuka Suksukont and Wannasiri Sirisampant and local talents inPrincess Superal, Pauline del Rosario, Cyna Rodriguez and Chihiro Ikeda.
Park, the new Solaire Resort & Casino brand ambassador who conducted a clinic among amateurs and pros alike after arriving from Singapore Monday, Ardina and Saso slug it out on No. 1 at 11:40 a.m. when playing conditions are expected to be hot and windy.
The two-time Major champion also top-billed yesterday’s pro-am tournament where she played the Tom Weiskoph-designed layout for the first time although the familiarity factor won’t seem to be a problem for a player boasting of raw power off the mound, solid ball-striking and a magnificent short game.
“Her ball-striking is head and shoulders above lots of people. She’s long and she’s straight,” her caddie David Jones told LPGA.com after her Singapore romp that saw here battle back from four down off erstwhile world No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn then beat Aussie Minjee Lee by two.
