DAVAO — With a young roster, the Manila Southwoods-Masters squad looks to reclaim the Philippine Airlines Ladies Interclub championship next week against a Pradera Verde crew built around the talented Yuka Saso.
With seasoned internationalist Sofia Chabon and the returning Sunshine Baraquiel, the Carmona-based club hopes to bounce back from a thorough beating suffered at the hands of Pradera last year in Cebu where its five-year reign was snapped.
“I’m very confident of our chances,” non-playing skipper Claire Ong said on Thursday as her charges prime up for a return clash with Saso and a revved up Pradera roster backstopped by three Malaysian junior standouts starting Wednesday at the Rancho Palos Verdes course here.
Southwoods is so keen on returning to the winner’s circle that the entire team is already here, playing in a big amateur tournament where they can test the rolling layout in its best shape.
“Our players have been together for more than a month now and are playing fairly well,” Ong said. “The players are in high spirits and raring to go.”
Annika Guangco, Tin Torralba, Mafy Singson, Laurea Duque, Mariel Tee and Samantha Dizon are the other members of the squad which is the other half of the most successful amateur team program in the country in recent years.
Southwoods has also lorded it over the Men’s Interclub for the last four years and would like nothing better than to have its ladies occupy the top of the hill once again.
But that would be easier said than done, especially with Saso coming off a double gold medal effort in the Asian Games in Jakarta less than a month back where she rallied from four strokes down in the last round to win the individual gold over Liu Wenbo of China.
Cebu Country Club is the third force in the Championship Division.
Major sponsors for the 13th PAL Ladies Interclub include Airbus, Bombardier, People Asia, UM Broadcasting Network and Primax Broadcasting Network.
Other sponsors are TFC, Mastercard, SEDA Hotel, SM Supermalls and Banco de Oro. Donors are Asia Brewery and Philippine National Bank.