The 17-year-old Bondad, who has not finished lower than third the past two years with a victory in 2004 and a third place trophy last year, will be up against a formidable foreign opposition in the 44th staging of the 54-hole tourney.

Despite the absence of defending champion Jayvie Agojo, who begged off due to her tight academic schedule at the Pepperdine University in California where she is a golf scholar, the presence of two former champions and a horde of fast-rising junior talents should make the battle for the crown very interesting.

Thuhachinii Selvaratnam of Sri Lanka is back to seek a second title after her 2001 triumph while Carmelette Villaroman is also eyeing the same after so many bungled opportunities that came her way following her triumph in 1993.

The other members of the national training pool who have been called for an early start to their training for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, are Lora Roberto and Anya Tanpinco, should also crowd the former titlists in the title race.

Selvaratnam leads 30 players from six countries in the field. The other countries represented in the event organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines are Korea, United States, England, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Almost a third of the roster are junior players and among those to watch are Fil-American Cristina Corpus, Demi Mak of Hong Kong, Crystal Superal and Debbie de Villa.

Bondad is seeking a second national title after topping the Hong Kong Open last year when she also won the inaugural Philippine ladies match play tilt in Bacolod.

Anyone among the Koreans who have been training all year including last year’s runner-up Woo Young Kyung can pull off a surprise. Woo was in the hunt for a surprise victory until Agojo made a big birde on the 17th last year and relegated the Korean to second.

The event was officially launched yesterday afternoon with the welcome cocktails and hitting of ceremonial balls. Invited to do the honors were LPGA star Jennifer Rosales, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, National Golf Association of the Philippines president Benny Gopez, Philippine Olympic Committee head Peping Cojuangco, Manila Golf Club president Martin Romualdez and businessman Ricky Razon and WGAP president Nancy Ortiga.

Sponsors of the tourney are the First Gentleman Foundation, International Container Terminal Services, Inc., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Sports Commission, Banco de Oro Private Banking, Pacific Online, Gilberto Duavit, Golden Donuts, Philippine Daily Inquirer, TNT Express, Alexis Jewelers, Electrobus Consolidated, Keystone Lamps, Crucible Gallery, All Transport Network, Carlos Palanca and Hyatt Hotels.