Superal cards 68, trails by 1

Princess Superal closed out with three birdies at the front to shoot a four-under 68 and trail Kaitlin Park of California by one at the start of the 2016 Arizona Women’s Open at the Sun City Country Club in Sun City, Arizona Monday.

Superal, priming up for the LPGA Qualifying School Final Stage late this month in Florida, bounced back from a bogey- bogey mishap linking both nines with birdies on Nos. 3, 4 and 6, putting herself back in early contention in the 54-hole tournament of the Cactus Tour which features the LPGA Tour aspirants.

Starting off at the backside of the par-72 layout, the former US Junior Girls’ champion actually took charge of the 75-player field with birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 17 but fumbled with a bogey on the tough par-4 ninth then dropped another stroke on No. 1, another par-4 holes.

But the F Siblings and PB Farms and ICTSIbacked pro banged in a birdie from close range on the par-5 third then hit two more birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 to complete a 34-34 card.

Park had a two-birdie, one-bogey effort at the back but birdied the first two holes at the front then added two more on Nos. 5 and 8 to surge past the Filipina ace with a 67.

Colorado’s Ashley Tait shot a 69 for third while Paige Crawford, also of Colorado, turned in a 70 and seven players churned out identical 71s, including Filipina amateur Regan De Guzman, who gunned down four bogeys but stumbled with three bogeys, including on No. 9.

De Guzman, along with Cyna Rodriguez, Dottie Ardina and Mia Piccio are also joining Superal in the LPGA Q-School Final Stage, slated Nov. 30-Dec. 4 at Daytona Beach, along with 80 other aspirants from all over who will be fighting of 20 LPGA cards for next year.