Superal wrests 2-shot lead in KL

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal matched par 73 to open a two-stroke lead over Malaysian Diane Luke at the start of the Royal Selangor Golf Club Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship at the RSGC layout late Tuesday.

Superal, a silver medal winner in last week’s Asian Youth Game in Nanjing, China, rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th to check a faltering finish and salvage an even par round at the par-73 layout.

That proved enough for the top ICTSI-backed bet to gain control as Luke struggled with a two-over 75 in the 54-hole tournament serving as part of a series of international tournaments lined up for members of Team ICTSI.

Pauline del Rosario, winner of the 13-14 crown in this year’s Junior World in San Diego, put herself in contention despite a 76 while local bet Michelle Koh stood in fourth with a 78.

Superal, the reigning Singapore Amateur Ladies Open champion, mixed two birdies on Nos. 6 and 13 against a bogey on No. 11. But she wavered coming home, dropping shots on Nos. 14 and 16 before coming through with that closing birdie.

Sofia Chabon and Abby Arevalo, meanwhile, faltered with identical 80s while Mika Fortuna lay too far behind with an 84.