Pauline del Rosario and Dottie Ardina spearhead a determined Philippine charge as the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters unwraps on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Summit Point Golf and Country Club in Lipa City, Batangas, setting the stage for a three-day showdown of skill, nerve and championship pedigree against Asia’s elite and rising stars.

Fresh from intensive off-season work, the two Epson Tour campaigners enter the $200,000 tournament sharpened and resolute, intent on translating their growing international experience into a statement victory on home soil. With the LPGA Tour’s developmental circuit resuming next month, the timing could not be more ideal for the Filipinas to test their form against a crack international field.

Del Rosario, the first Filipina to win on the Taiwan LPGA Tour in 2017, carries unfinished business into the event. She emerged as the top local finisher last year, tying for fourth at The Country Club, and now returns more seasoned, focused and hungry to break through. Her blend of precision and composure has made her one of the country’s most reliable performers in big events.

Ardina, meanwhile, brings both pedigree and urgency. A former dominant force on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour before launching a successful overseas campaign, she captured her maiden Epson Tour title in 2022 and represented the country in the Paris Olympics.

As she opens her season in this kickoff leg of the Taiwan LPGA Tour, which also marks the start of the new LPGT season, Ardina is eager to end a long title drought and reassert herself as one of the region’s premier competitors.

But the task is formidable. The Philippine duo will not be flying the flag alone as they face a formidable international cast from Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, all primed to tackle one of the country’s most demanding championship layouts.

Bolstering the local charge are Florence Bisera, Chanelle Avaricio, Daniella Uy and Mafy Singson, all riding high after earning cards in the China LPGA Tour Qualifying School – proof of the growing depth and confidence within Philippine women’s golf.

Leading the foreign contingent are Taiwan’s top guns, including TLPGA’s No. 2 Min Lee, a two-time Olympian and LPGA campaigner, alongside Chin-Min Chen and Ching Huang. Thailand counters with a deep and dangerous roster led by Nook Sukapan, last year’s runner-up, and supported by Chonlada Chayanun, Cholcheva Wongras, Kultida Pramphun, Ornnicha Konsunthea, Wannasiri Sirisampant, Supamas Sangchan and Pakin Kawinpakorn.

Also reinforcing the Philippine title bid are Epson Tour regulars Sam Bruce and Tomi Arejola, with Bruce seeking to replicate her strong 2025 start when she stunned the field to win the LPGT kickoff leg at Pradera Verde.

Former Asia-Pacific Cup champion Princess Superal, reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner Sarah Ababa, and multi-titled tour veteran Harmie Constantino likewise loom as serious threats, alongside Tiffany Lee, Martina Miñoza and Marvi Monsalve.

Organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., and sanctioned by the LPGT, TLPGA and the Asia Golf Leaders Forum, the event features a stellar 126-player field. As the opening leg of the Taiwan LPGA Tour for the second straight year, the tournament further underscores the Philippines’ growing stature as a premier destination for elite women’s golf in Asia.

For Ardina, Del Rosario and the rest of the local cast, however, this tournament is about more than hosting duties. It is a chance to convert hard-earned international exposure into confidence, competitiveness and contention. Armed with sharper games and steeled resolve, the Filipinas are ready to prove they belong – not just in the conversation, but at the top of the leaderboard.