After being out of competitive play the last couple of years, Cyna Rodriguez is back on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, joining the chase in the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic presented by MORE Power unfolding March 15 at the Marapara Golf and Country Club course in Negros Occidental.
While she’s thrilled more than wary about her return to such cutthroat competition, the former LPGA Tour campaigner’s presence in the 54-hole event is expected to toughen up the field, majority of which are ready and eager to get going after vying in the Anvaya Cove Ladies International at the posh, exacting Anvaya Cove layout in Morong, Bataan last week.
Rodriguez dominated the start of the LPGT in 2013, racking up six victories and sweeping the Order of Merit titles in the first three years. The former Junior World champion and many-time member of the national team also gained an LPGA Tour card with a fourth place effort in the Q-School in 2015 and campaigned on the world’s premier ladies circuit for two years before opting to resume her pro career at home.
Injuries, however, stymied her return to LPGT, leading to mediocre finishes while missing the cut in some. She last competed in November 2020.
When the offer to work for Anvaya Cove came about in late 2021, she readily accepted it and after a more than a year stint as golf director, she said: “I learned a lot, it’s the first golf course that I handled. As a well-traveled golfer, I was able to get my inputs seeing other golf course from different countries.”
But throwing her hat into the ring has been ingrained in her character and Anvaya Cove’s recent hosting of a top-notch championship must’ve fueled her desire to compete again.
“This coming March, I will be playing on the tour, so I’m excited to go back and play with the same people and hopefully see fresh faces,” said Rodriguez.
She, however, will stay as Anvaya Cove golf director while at the same focusing on her third Tour return and a plausible crack for another LPGT glory.
