Sangchan surges past Del Rosario; Superal gains

ANTIPOLO – Thai Supamas Sangchan fired a two-under 70 in the wind then pounced on Pauline del Rosario’s meltdown to grab a two-stroke lead over a charging Princess Superal in the second round of the 2014 Champion Infinity Philippine Ladies Open Golf Championship here yesterday.

Sangchan wiped out a three-stroke deficit off Del Rosario with a steady game despite tough playing condition, hitting four birdies against two bogeys for a 34-36 round as she took a step closer to retaining the crown she won in dramatic fashion at Mt. Malarayat last year with a 141 aggregate.

“I need to play steady again since it’s not easy to play the course,” said Sangchan, who outlasted Dottie Ardina on the sixth extra hole to rule the event presented by Champion Infinity last year.

But the Thai ace faces a tough challenge in her back-to-back title bid as the fancied Superal made her move after a woeful opener of 75, turning in the day’s best score of four-under 68 behind a four-birdie binge at the back.

But at 143, the SEA Games individual gold medalist and the current toast of Philippine golf will need to sustain her form to get a crack at the crown and add the country’s premier women’s amateur championship to her growing list of victories.

Del Rosario, impressive with a 68 Wednesday, came in ruffled by the wind that blew from all over, all day yesterday, hobbling with a 38-38 round.

The 14-year-old Junior World champion last year, however, remained in the hunt at 144 although she must duplicate her opening round performance to re-fuel her title drive in the 54-hole championship organized by Women’s Golf Association of the Phils.

Already hounded by blustery condition, Del Rosario struggled with her putting on the firmer, faster surface that continued to bedevil the games of majority of the field in the event sponsored by Peerless Products Manufacturing, maker of Champion Infinity.

“I have to play a whole lot better in the final round,” said Del Rosario.

Focus, however, will be on Superal, the top Team ICTSI bet who rebounded from a so-so first round stint with two birdies in the first four holes. Although she stumbled with a double-bogey on the fifth on poor pitches, she waxed hot at the back with three straight birdies from No. 11 before hitting another on the 16th from three feet.

She capped her brilliant round with two saved pars in the last two holes.

“It was quite windy but it actually did not matter on me too much. The greens, though, were a lot faster today,” said Superal, winner of nine tournaments last year, including the final leg of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, a pro event.

Thais Pannarat Thanapoonbolyaras matched par 72 and Sherman Santiwiwattanaphong hardly improved with a 73 as they tied Malaysian Michelle Koh, who also had a 72, at fourth with 149s, eight shots behind.

Another shot farther back at 150 were Singapore’s Amelia Yong, who fumbled with a 78, Harmie Constantino, who wavered with a 79, and Bianca Pagdanganan, who turned in a 74.

The other backers of the annual event are Meralco, Jungolf, Holland Blooms, Duty Free, Nike Golf, Alabang Ladies, Orchard Ladies, Manila Golf Ladies, Canlubang Ladies, Tagaytay Ladies and Forest Hills Ladies Circle, Other supporters are Dept. of Tourism, Spectrum Graphics and Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Universal Robina Corp. and C2 and media partners Impact Magazine and Inquirer, and hole-in-one sponsors TIB and Forest Hills.