The Philippines’ top female pro golfers get to compete against the LPGA’s crème dela crème this weekend in the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Antrim, Northern Ireland, which starts Thursday.
Largely hunting for honors in the LPGA Tour’s developmental loop Epson Tour, Dottie Ardina and Bianca Pagdanganan will see action in the $1.5 million tournament to be played at Galgorm Castle and Castle Rock Golf Clubs.
Ardina is coming from T8 finish at Four Winds last week. But the 29-year-old is still looking for a win to duplicate her 2022 triumph at Copper Rock.
Competing in the Tour since 2014, Ardina has made 15 of 16 cuts last year and five of eight this season.
On the other hand, the 25-year-old Pagdanganan hopes her T12 performance at French Lick would translate into a better showing across the pond.
The Olympian and Asian Games gold medalist (team) has made cut in seven of 10 starts this season. But she has yet to earn her first-ever Tour victory.
Either they wilt under the heavy field or bloom under pressure remains to be seen. Winning it against all odds, though, is something that was already achieved.
Sweden’s Maja Stark won the tournament on her rookie year, beating by five shots American Allisen Corpuz who a few months later would win the US Women’s Open.
Meantime, Americans have one more week to earn the coveted points needed to secure their spots on captain Stacy Lewis’ squad as the US Team for Solheim Cup.
Roster will be finalized upon completion of next week’s CPKC Women’s Open. But for the Europeans vying for a place on Captain Suzann Pettersen’s team, time is nearly up.
This week’s tournament in Northern Ireland represents the final playing opportunity to secure a place on the European Team.
The top two players in the European Solheim Cup standings will earn a spot, in addition to the top six players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings who didn’t qualify via the point standings. Pettersen will then round out her team with four captain’s picks.
