Ikeda starts strong in Thailand Open

CHIHIRO IKEDA announced her entry into the pro ranks in rousing fashion as she fired in a four-under 68 to tie three others at the tee-off in the Thailand Open at the Lakewood Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand, late Wednesday.

Ikeda birdied three of the last five holes at the front, including back-to-back from No. 7, to complete a 34-34 card and catch local ace Suwannapura Thidapa and Koreans Lee Eun Kyoung and Bae In Ji at the helm in the 54-hole tournament serving as the third leg of the Ladies Asian Golf Tour.

Ikeda, last year’s Philippine Ladies Open champion and former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, tried her luck on the Japan LPGA Tour late last year and hurdled three tough qualifiers to gain a card on the lucrative circuit. That prompted the former spearhead of the ICTSI ladies golf squad to turn pro, passing up her chance to defend her Philippine Ladies Open title last month.

Teeing off at the backside, Ikeda knocked down a three-foot birdie putt on the par-5 11th then rolled in an eight-footer on the 16th. She flubbed a seven-foot par putt on No. 4 but fought back with a birdie on the next before stringing up two straight birdies from No. 7.

Jennifer Rosales, the former two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, hit two birdies against a bogey for a 71 to join the big group in 12th place while amateur Dottie Ardina birdied No. 17 to save a 73 for joint 30th.

Suwannapura sizzled with three birdies at the back and seized control of the field with back-to-back birdies from No. 1. But the 20-year-old Bangkok native fumbled with a bogey on the ninth and missed gaining the solo lead. Lee, a cancer survivor, turned in a bogey-free round of 68 while Bae hit six birdies but had two bogeys to settle for joint lead.  Correspondent Jonas Panerio