Princess Superal, Cyna Rodriguez join chase as LPGT Malarayat begins

MANILA, Philippines — Princess Superal hopes to make the most of her extended stay while Cyna Rodriguez goes all out in her comeback tournament as they brace for a fierce duel with the Thais and Koreans in the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic beginning today at Mt. Malarayat’s composite course in Lipa City, Batangas.

Superal was set to leave for Hiroshima to prepare for her next event in the farm league of LPGA Japan Tour following her come-from-behind four-shot triumph at John Hay last month. But she deferred her plans to join the likes of Chihiro Ikeda, Sarah Ababa, Marvi Monsalve, Alex Etter and the returning Rodriguez in the P750,000 event serving as the 10th leg of the seventh season of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner missed this event last year that saw young Thai Onkanok Soisuwan rip the field to mark her pro debut in winning fashion with the duo, along with a slew of others, gearing up for three days of battle of shotmaking and iron game in the wind.

Though Superal has opted to tone down expectations for another title romp, she remained hopeful of duplicating her Baguio feat.

“I don’t expect to win just like what happened in Baguio where I rallied from four-down in the final round and won by four. But I have set my goal – stay focused and enjoy it,” said Superal. “Actually, I’m preparing for Japan so I practice a lot.”

That should make the former US Girls’ Junior champion the marked player together with Rodriguez, who vowed to go for the crown coming off a three-month break due to surgery.

“My goal is not only to get a good score but to win,” said Rodriguez, a former three-time OOM winner who underwent surgery last May. “Now I’m back, fully motivated and ready to start again.”

Soisuwan is out to recall the form that netted her a seven-shot romp over rookie Mikha Fortuna last year in one of six victories for the Thais in the 12-stage edition of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.