Superal all but clinches Jakarta title despite 74

MANILA, Philippines – Princess Superal wavered at the finish but pulled away just the same despite a two-over 74, virtually clinching the 2015 Pondok Indah International Junior golf tournament premier crown with a huge 11-shot lead over Putri Aisyah Amani in Jakarta, Indonesia late Wednesday.

Superal actually also had a shaky start of 37 that enabled Amani to cut Team The Country Club spearhead’s lead to six heading to the backside. But the Indonesian failed to sustain her form and made a quadruple bogey at the closing par-5 hole of the Pondok Indah Golf Course for a 42 and a 79.

Counting her earlier 71, Superal pooled a 145 and moved 18 holes away from bagging a fourth straight victory in the last five weeks. The former US Girls’ Junior champ has won two tournaments in Malaysia and one in Singapore.

Amani’s 77 farther dropped her to 156 while Rachel Lim of Singapore skied to an 84 for a 166.

Mikhaela Fortuna missed completing a bogey-free round in another tough day with a bogey on No. 13 but struck back with two birdies in the next two holes for a three-under 69 and a 140, six ahead of Indonesian Rivani Shihotang in Class A.

Shihotang carded a second 73 for a 146, while Thai Pajaree Anannarukarn made a 74 for a 148.

Bernice Olivarez-Ilas also poised herself for another win as she shot a 71 for a 145 to stay five strokes ahead of Meva Helina Schmit of Indonesia, who had a 150 after a 72, in Class B. Winnie Ng Yu Xuan of the US turned in a 79 for a 153.

Over in Malaysia, Samantha Martirez, also a member of Team TCC, also took charge despite a shaky windup and a three-over 75, posting a three-stroke lead over local bet Geraldine Wong Xuan at the start of the Kids Golf World Championship Malaysia 2015 in Johor Bahru.

Martirez hit two birdies on Nos. 2 and 11 but stumbled with five bogeys, including on Nos. 14 and 17 on missed green mishaps, while teammate Sofia Chabon struggled with an 80 for third and Korean Kim Joo Yeon and Hong Kong’s Yuka Murakami wavered with 82 and 83, respectively, in Class A (15-18).