Filipina golfers open World Amateur bid vs Swiss, Moroccans

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines faces Switzerland and Morocco at the start of the Espirito Santo Trophy in the United Arab Emirates Wednesday, hopeful to draw the best from a mix of players teaming up against the best in the world at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Rianne Malixi slugs it out with Morocco’s Rim Imni and Swiss Caroline Sturdza at 11:33 a.m. (3:33 p.m. Manila time) on the first hole with Junia Gabasa to follow suit at 11:44 a.m. with Sofia Essakali of Morocco and Swiss Yana Beeli.

Grace Quintanilla, the other Filipina player in the three-to-count, two-to-play format event also known as the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, drew Malak Bouraeda of Morocco and Victoria Levy of Switzerland in the 11:55 a.m. group.

The national women’s team, then made up of Mikha Fortuna, Mafy Singson and Lois Kaye Go, wound up 30th in a field of 56 in France last year.

Fortuna finished tied for 42nd in individual play with Singson ending up at joint 106th and Go at tied 113th.

But the ICTSI-backed Malixi, Quintanilla and Gabasa are upbeat of their chances in the event that drew some of the leading players in the ranks, headed by world No. 1 Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden, No. 3 Cayetana Fernandez of Spain and No. 4 Minson Kim of South Korea.

Thailand, the country’s chief rival in regional competitions, is also led by reigning Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship winner Eila Galitsky.

The Philippines didn’t field a team in the just-concluded Eisenhower Cup ruled by the United States in emphatic fashion.

The Americans pooled a 540 to beat Norway and Australia by 11 strokes with New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori winning the individual crown by one over American Nick Dunlap.

The US ladies squad, led by world No. 6 Anna Davis, No. 11 Rachel Kuehn and No. 12 Megan Schofill, goes for a sweep of the team championship while Kiwis Fiona Xu, Vivian Lu and Eunseo Choi seek to match Kobori’s feat in individual competition.