Superal ousts two rivals, reaches US Girls quarters

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal put on a pair of blazing windups to defeat Palo Alto’s Anna Zhou, 3&3, in the Last 32 phase and Kristien Gillman of Texas, 3&1, in the Round of 16 and barge into the quarterfinals of the the US Girls’ Junior Championships Match Play at the Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff, Arizona Thursday.

Superal hit three birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 12 to bundle out Zhou in the morning play then repeated her birdie binge from Nos. 13 to 17 to boot out Gillman in the afternoon match as the top ICTSI-backed bet sealed a quarters showdown with American Bethany Wu.

“She’s hitting the ball pretty solid and she’s playing with a lot of confidence especially in the closing holes,” said Team ICTSI coach Bong Lopez. “But it’s a good match-up with Wu whom she tied for fourth in the 36-hole stroke play elims.”

Wu, a semifinalist here last year, routed Samantha Wagner, 6&4, then trounced Rose Huang, 4&2, Superal, who launched her bid in the knockout stage with an imposing 8&7 romp over Maria Davis, went 2-up early against Zhou but made a bogey on No. 7 and yielded No. 11 on a Zhou birdie to square the match.

But the reigning SEA Games gold medalist and winner of various junior international titles halfway through the season, birdied Nos. 12 and 13 inside five feet to go 2-up then rolled in an eight-footer for birdie on No. 16 to clinch the match.

Against Gillman, however, Superal went two holes down in the early going but birdied Nos. 7 and 10 to square the match. She then birdied Nos. 13, 15 and 17 to whisk off the Texan and earn a crack at the semifinal round.

ICTSI teammate Sofia Chabon fought back from one-hole down to beat Gabrielle Baker, 4&3, in the Round of 32 but bowed to Binny Lee, also of Texas, 2-up, in the next round.

Miya Legaspi also dominated Janet Mao, 6&4, in the second round but lost to Australian Shelly Shin, 6&5, in the Round of 16 while Yuka Saso, also of Team ICTSI, never recovered from a poor start and dropped  a 6&5 setback to Andrea Lee in the second round.

The other quarters pairings pit Americans Cindy Ha, who ousted low medalist Angel Yin, 2&1, in the Round of 16, against Brigitte Dunne, Marjosse Navarro of Mexico versus Lee and Shin against Lee.