Superal nears crown, hikes lead to 3 shots

MANILA, Philippines - Multi-titled Princess Superal closed in another crown as she shot a one-under 71 to pull away by three over local bet Nur Durriyah Damian after two rounds of the Kuala Lumpur Amateur Open 2014 at the Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia in Bukit Kiara late Wednesday.

Superal, 17, birdied two of her last three holes at the front to fashion a second straight 71 for a 142 aggregate and a three-shot lead over Damian, who matched the top ICTSI-backed bet’s one-under card in tough, humid condition.

Damian, who reeled with a 74 in the first round of the 54-hole tournament, took the challenger’s role at 145 even as Superal’s teammate Bernice Olivarez-Ilas moved to joint third at 149 after a 73.

Malaysian Nur Eliana Ariffin, two behind Superal at the start of the day, sputtered with a 76 to drop into a tie with Olivarez-Ilas while Singapore’s Koh Sock Hwee hardly recovered from a 76 with a 75 for a 151.

While Superal, who racked up a number of local and international titles last year, including the Singapore Ladies Open and the Royal Selangor Amateur, the other ICTSI mainstays struggled with Sam Martirez fumbling with a 78 after a 76 for a 154 and Sofia Chabon making an 82 after a 77 for a 159.

“Though she had a fine start, it took a while before she could really get going. If not for her solid windup, it could have been close heading to the final day,” said Team ICTSI coach Bong Lopez of Superal’s round.

The reigning SEA Games gold medalist birdied No. 10 where she teed off but dropped a shot on No. 14 and made another bogey on the sixth, needing to sink a pair of six-footers for birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 to build a big cushion.

Olivarez-Ilas birdied No. 12 but fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 16 and I, hit another birdie on the second but missed the green and made another bogey on the eighth.