Constantino eyes record run at LPGT Valley

HARMIE Constantino, fired-up by a playoff victory at Luisita and a comefrom-behind win at Villamor, can hardly wait to get going in chase of a third straight championship in the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge, which unwraps on June 6 in Antipolo.

Although Epson Tour campaigner Pauline del Rosario had won four championships in a dominant Ladies Philippine Golf Tour rookie season in 2017 which she spiked with a stirring victory in the LPGA Tour of Taiwan, no player has racked up three straight victories in the country’s premier ladies circuit put up by ICTSI.

After two failed bids, del Rosario won back-to-back at Orchard and Baguio, won again at Pradera Verde after yielding the crown to Abby Arevalo at Riviera and reigned again at Splendido Taal after placing third

By Randy Caluag

GINEBRA coach Tim Cone has one thing that he must accomplish to come full circle as a “Filipino” at heart.

His old classmates and their families in Baler, Aurora have embraced Cone as one of their own when the accomplished American coach stayed in the northern province during his childhood as his father worked at a logging company.

The interesting photo of Cone with his classmates at Baler Central School in 1967 was posted on the social media page of Batang Baler and many of his classmates posted comments, reminiscing the days of his stay in the province.

“Iyan si Tim Cone naglalakad din iyan nong araw nagdi-dribble ng bola pauwi sa logpond nila sa Castillo.

Kung minsan nakasakay sa pickup (truck) nila together with sister Julie,” recalled Claro Gonzales.

Mervin Rubio recognized their teacher (beside Cone) and even asked if he at Forest Hills.

“I’ll just stick to my game plan –hit the fairways and greens and make the most of my birdie chances,” said Constantino after completing her triumphant rally at Villamor last week.

But the rolling Valley South poses a far more daunting challenge for the LPGT field from each tee mound all the way to the green with terrors lurking from every corner of a course which requires accuracy and sound decision-making.

Constantino, in fact, posted a 16over 231 total when she tied for third in last year’s Valley Ladies Challenge topped by top amateur Rianne Malixi, who outgunned the pro field and beat Chihiro Ikeda by 13 strokes.

But with the talented Constantino in great shape and exuding confidence, the former national cham- pion, who also marked her debut in 2021 with two victories, both at Eagle Ridge-Aoki, is all ready for a crack at a record run in the P750,000 championship. noted how efficiently Singapore took care of its athletes during the last SEA Games, with its army of medical experts, tents, exercise machines and other equipment available to their athletes after their competition. They also have medical gear to deal with injuries. game two.”

Ikeda, however, will be riding on her runner-up finish at Villamor to spark a title campaign while Sarah Ababa, Gretchen Villacencio, Florence Bisera and Daniella Uy are all keen on mounting their respective bids in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and held side-by-side with the 72-hole men’s championship. Completing the cast are Sheryl Villacensio, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Miñoza, Apple Fudolin, Korean Juyoung Yang, the comebacking Martina Miñoza and Lesley Icoy, and young guns Rev Alcantara and Monica Mandario.

“We don’t have machines. I did not see machines there. We had to rely on SEA Games’ organizers for the machines,” said Bachmann.

Tolentino said a new system to deal with medical issues in international meet is now in the works.

“There will be a new template for medical teams, PTs and masseurs. Meron na binuo and POC medical and PT teams for every international meet. Nakita na natin kung ano ang need (during the SEA Games, at kung saan sila papupuntahin,” said Tolentino.

Miami trailed by as many as 24 points in the third quarter before closing the gap in the fourth.

Butler maintained that Miami’s performance would “look way worse than it really is” when the team pores over footage of game one ahead of game two on Sunday.

“But that’s the only way you’re going to learn from it,” said Butler, who was restricted to just 13 points from 6-of-14 shooting in a subdued performance.

Butler, who made no trips to the foul line throughout, vowed to take a more aggressive approach in game two on Sunday when Miami try to square the series.

“Maybe I have to be a little bit more aggressive,” he said. “I’ve got to put pressure on the rim. Me with no free throws, that was all on myself, nobody else.

“So we’ll definitely correct that the next game, but only I can do that.” AFP

RIANNE Malixi charged back from two backside double bogeys with three birdies but wavered in the last nine holes as she posted 31 Stableford points and trailed Yana Wilson by 10 at the start of the Mizuho Americans Open-AJGA Juniors in New Jersey Thursday.

Three bogeys in the last eight holes at the frontside of the Liberty National Golf Club negated Malixi’s big recovery from a pair of 7s in the first two par-5s (Nos. 10 and 13) as she put in a 39-38 round for a fiveover 77 output in stroke play.

It was worth 31 points under the Stableford scoring format where a double eagle is worth 8 points, eagle 5 points, birdie 3 points, par 2 points and bogey 1 point. No points are awarded to a double bogey or worse scores.

The ICTSI-backed Malixi earned nine points from her birdies on Nos. 11, 16 and 18, and 18 points from nine pars but settled for points on her four bogeys on Nos. 2, 5, 9 and 17.

That dropped her to joint 18th with three others in a field of 24 made up of the leading players in the American Junior Golf Association, who are vying for their own individual title side-by-side with the LPGA Tour.

Wilson, meanwhile, flashed top form and fired five birdies for a solid 67 worth 41 points as she led Elizabeth Rudisill, who posted 38 points from a gross 70, by three, while Leigh Chien and Michelle Liu matched 37s points from a pair of 71s.

AJGA No. 1 Gianna Clemente and No. 2 Alice Zhao outshot the No. 7 Malixi in the featured flight with 34 and 33 points, respectively, but the 16-year-old Filipina shotmaker hopes to rebound in a switch in teetimes Friday.