Superal shares joint second

Princess Superal rode on a three-birdie binge from No. 10 to fuel a fiery a six-under 66 for a share of second with world No. 4 Lydia Ko in individual play while steering the Philippines to joint second in the team event at the start of the Asia Pacific Cup at the Pondok Indah Golf Course yesterday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Failing to gain much headway with a one-birdie frontside card, Superal bucked the winds that started to pick up at the back as she birdied the first two holes on crisp iron shots then added another on the par-3 12th to find herself in the mix. She drilled in another on the 15th then struck a brilliant approach shot to within three feet on the par-5 18th.

“I played consistently, especially with my drives. I also hit solid iron shots and my putting clicked at the back as I made a couple of up-and-down saves to preserve by bogey-free card,” Superal said.

But while Superal flourished with a closing 31, Epson Tour campaigner and ICTSI teammate Pauline del Rosario wavered with three bogeys in the last nine holes, including on No. 18. She ended up with a 75 as the Philippines slipped to joint second with Japan in team competition with a three-under 141 aggregate.

Two-time major winner So Yeon Ryu leads with a 65 in the individual.

The 54-hole event, the second of a series of tournaments on the Ladies Asian Tour following the season-opening DB Group 36th Korea Women’s Open last March, offers a prize purse of $500,000 in team play and $250,000 in individual competition.

The individual champion will receive $100,000 while the runner-up will get $57,500.