Blazing windup nets Superal 4-shot lead

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal put on a fiery finish to fire a six-under 66 and open a four-stroke lead over fellow Asian Gamer and ICTSI teammate Pauline Del Rosario at the start of the FCG National Tour Fall Series-Temecula in California Saturday.

Superal, who keyed the Philippines’ title romp in the Santi Cup in Brunei last month, birdied the last three holes in impressive fashion to turn in a 33-33 card and surge ahead of the field in the College Prep Class of the tournament serving as part of Team ICTSI’s overseas training.

Del Rosario, who ran away with the Under-16 crown in the Faldo Series Grand Final in West Virginia two weeks ago, birdied two of the last five holes to card a 70 but stood too far behind the hot-starting Superal.

American Kara Sanford struggled with a 74 while another Californian, Zoe Campos, groped for form at the Temecula Creek Inn layout and limped with a 76.

Superal actually sizzled early with opening back-to-back birdies but fumbled with a missed-green bogey on the seventh. She bounced back with birdies on Nos. 8 and 11 but missed the green again on No. 13 and failed to return a five-footer for par.

But she rolled in an eight-footer for birdie on the 14th then strung up three straight from No. 16 inside six feet to storm ahead.

Del Rosario kept Superal in sight with birdies on Nos. 3 and 10 but dropped strokes on Nos. 11 and 13 before ramming in birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 to move to solo second.