Princess Superal rallies with 61, ends long title drought

BAGUIO, Philippines — Four down with 18 holes to play on a short but tricky John Hay layout, Princess Superal knew she still had a chance to overcome the huge deficit and end a 16-month title spell on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

Even against a fellow multi-titled pal.

For as long as she stayed in control of her game and kept her iron game and putting going, no block would be too tough to hurdle for the former US Girls’ Junior champion.

She did – putting up not just a fiery final round charge but also producing an eagle-spiked, bogey-free 61 that netted her a whopping four-stroke victory over a stunned Chihiro Ikeda in the P1 million ICTSI Camp John Hay Ladies Championship here yesterday.

“I’m very happy and it’s fulfilling to win again,” said Superal, whose closing eight-under 31-30 card gave her a 54-hole total of 197 worth P200,000 that also snapped a long title drought on the circuit she used to dominate.

Four birdies at the front shoved Superal from four down to 1-up over Ikeda. Then the diminutive but talented shotmaker shot two more birdies at the back and drilled in a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th to spike a blistering closing round and reign again on the very course where she won in record fashion as an amateur in 2013.

Ikeda lost in the face of Superal’s fiery charge and fell behind by as many as six with a three-over card after 16 holes but closed out with back-to-back birdies to save a second straight 69 for second at 201.

Superal’s 10-under total was way off her record 17-under 190 in beating Ikeda by eight in the LPGT inaugurals six years ago. But it proved enough to deliver her first LPGT crown since she scored back-to-back victories at Highlands and Riviera in March last year.

Though she spent the last two months campaigning in Japan LPGA Step Up Tour, the former US Girls’ Junior titlist has had a couple of failed title bids (runner-up finishes) and two top five efforts early in the LPGT season.