Lee faces tough challenge

ANTIPOLO CITY ­— Jiwon Lee is tipped to have a tough challenge against powerhouse foes when she competes in the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic set to kick off on Wednesday at the Nicklaus course here.

Lee, who stunned the field with a breakthrough win at the Splendido Taal, will be marching to this P1-million event with extreme caution as she faces seasoned pros led by Harmie Constantino and Mikha Fortuna.

Constantino, who had been on an impressive three-leg winning streak with victories at Palos Verdes, Caliraya Springs and the Ladies Philippine Masters, saw her momentum halted by then amateur Lee’s stunning triumph at the Lakewood Championship.

As one of the most seasoned players on tour, Constantino brings a wealth of experience and a calm under pressure that makes her a formidable threat to Lee’s drive for a second straight Ladies Philippine Golf Tour crown.

Renowned for her consistent play and ability to deliver in clutch moments, she will be a key figure to watch as she looks to reclaim her winning form.

Fortuna, on the other hand, is primed to take on not just the teenage sensation Lee, but also Constantino and the rest of the elite field. After a near-miss at Splendido, the reigning Match Play champion is hungry for redemption.

Determined to spoil Lee’s bid for consecutive titles and disrupt Constantino’s pursuit of a fourth victory this season, Fortuna also enters the Forest Hills Classic with renewed focus and a clear target on victory.

Lee, meanwhile, comes into the event with a target on her back. The 16-year-old sensation has been on a meteoric rise since transitioning from the junior ranks, where she won back-to-back legs of the Junior PGT series in dominant fashion.

But with veterans like Constantino and Fortuna leading the charge, her path to another victory is far from guaranteed.

Aside from Constantino and Fortuna, the field is stacked with former LPGT champions and rising stars eager to foil Lee in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf.

Mafy Singson, Sarah Ababa, Florence Bisera, Laurea Duque, Velinda Castil, Rev Alcantara, Pamela Mariano, Miya Legaspi, Kayla Nocum and Seoyun Kim are all in the mix, adding further depth to the competition. Each of these players has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season and could easily emerge as a dark horse in the race for the championship.