Del Rosario, Avaricio seek strong starts as Q-School Stage II unfolds

MANILA, Philippines – Pauline del Rosario and Chanelle Avaricio resume their hunt for the coveted LPGA Tour cards as they clash with 187 other hopefuls in the Q-School Stage II, which starts Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) at the Plantation Golf and Country’s Bobcat and Panther courses in Venice, Florida.

An Epson Tour campaigner, del Rosario kicks off her drive at 8:56 a.m. on No. 1 of the Panther layout with Americans Jessica Porvasnik and Annika Clark, hoping to get going early for the momentum needed in such kind of a cutthroat competition.

Avaricio, who tied for 38th in Stage I at Mission Hills last August, braces for a rough start at 12:22 p.m., also at the frontside of the Bobcat course, against Taiwanese Juliana Hung and amateur Angela Liu of the US.

Tomita Arejola is also in pursuit of an LPGA card after the Filipina amateur finished tied at 43rd in the first stage of the three-stage elims leading to stints in the world’s premier ladies circuit next year.

Arejola tees off at 8:12 a.m., also on No. 1, at Bobcat with Frenchwoman Charlotte Liautier and Mariah Stackhouse of the US.

There will be no cut in the 72-hole stroke play tournament with the number of players advancing to the last phase, the Q-Series, to be announced later in the day.

Players who complete 72 holes but do not advance to the Q-Series will earn 2024 Epson Tour status.

Expected to contend for Q-Series spots are world No. 1 amateur Ingrid Lindblad from Sweden, Taiwanese Tsai Ching Tseng, India’s Pranavi Urs, Fernanda Lira of Italy, Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan, Swede Anna Lund, Singapore’s Amanda Tan, Canada’s Brigitte Thibault, Japanese Erika Hara, England’s Bronte Law and amateur Fiona Xu from New Zealand.

The Q-Series will be held from November 30 to December 5 at Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile, Alabama where Dottie Ardina and Bianca Pagdanganan, with conditional LPGA status, are expected to join the chase.