Tough task ahead for Dottie Ardina

Dottie Ardina tries to become the very first professional ladies champion but will have to navigate through the tricky field composed of up-and-coming and veteran lady golfers in the inaugural ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour at The Country Club in Laguna.

The former Junior World champion has won three events this year in the run-up to her pro debut on a course she calls home, making her a marked player among the compact field vying for the top P100,000 purse in the 54-hole championship.

Ardina, however, will have a lot of work to do in her first crack at the money circuit as she drew a rather late tee-time at 9:30 a.m. when wind condition is expected to be a lot tougher. She will be with Jan Punzalan and amateur Miya Legaspi.

Jayvie Agojo, one of the three former Philippine Ladies Open champions in the fold, is also tipped to contend for the title in the P500,000 tournament along with fellow debuting pros and former ICTSI teammates Sarah Ababa and Lovelynn Guioguio.

Agojo, the former Hong Kong Amateur Open champion and winner of the Santi Cup individual crown in the Putra Cup last year, will start at 8:20 a.m. in the company of former jungolf star Reb Bareng and amateur Marvi Monsalve. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio