Princess, Cyna join hunt
Actually, I’m preparing for Japan so I practice a lot
Princess Superal delayed her departure for Japan LPGA Step Up for a week to spearhead the local challenge against a crack roster of rivals from Thailand and Korea in what promises to be an explosive start to the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic today in Lipa City, Batangas.
Superal was set to leave for Hiroshima to prepare for her next tournament 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 comebacking Cyna Rodriguez in the P750,000 event serving as the 10th leg of the seventh season of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT).
The reigning LPGT Order of Merit 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 fourdown in the final round and won by four. But I have set my goal, which is to 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 no less for the crown coming off a three-month break due to operation.
“My goal is not only to get a good score but to win,” said Rodriguez, a former threetime OOM winner who underwent surgery last May. “Now I’m back, fully motivated and ready to start again.”