Foiled in her two first tournaments in the season, SEA Games gold medalist Chihiro Ikeda hopes to make it this time as she heads the ladies roster in the WWWExpress-DHL National Amateur Golf Championship she has dominated the last two years.

Ikeda romped away with a whopping 11-stroke win over ICTSI teammate and former two-time national championship Anya Tanpinco last year where she shared honors with Singaporean Quincy Quek, who outdueled Ferdie Aunzo in a classic six-hole playoff for the men’s title.

But Ikeda, 18, is expected to encounter stiff resistance in the 15th staging of the annual event sponsored by WWWExpress and DHL slated Feb. 9-12 at Canlubang Golf and Country Club’s north course.

For one, there is Dottie Ardina, who has opted to extend her stay here for two weeks before resuming her studies in the Florida. Like Ikeda, the 15-year-old Ardina fell short of her bid in the recent Philippine Open.