Superal takes aim at ICTSI Ladies Open

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal sets out for what could be her toughest test in a checkered amateur career as she slugs it out with some of the region’s top pros in the rich ICTSI Ladies Open firing off Wednesday at Southlinks Golf Club in Las Piñas.

Superal, eyeing to join the big league at the end of the year, spearheads a crack amateur contingent mixing it up with the local and foreign pros in the $75,000 tournament presented by Champion Infinity and serving as the fourth stage of the Taiwan LPGA and the kickoff leg of this year’s ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The reigning US Girls’ Junior champion has won her first overseas stint last month in California but faces an uphill battle against a slew of talented pros from Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Japan and the US over a course that requires precision and conservative play.

“There are pick-up spots at Southlinks. Save for the par-5s, some holes require conservative approach. The key is to hit the fairway,” said Superal, who has bested the local pros by winning the last leg of the first two seasons of the LPGT.

The field tests par-72 layout in a practice round today and will again play tomorrow in the traditional pro-am tournament along with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including ICTSI, Nike, Sharp and Custom Clubmakers.

Joining her in the hunt are The Country Club teammates Pauline del Rosario, Yuka Saso, Sam Martirez, Sofia Chabon, Abby Arevalo, Mika Fortuna and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas along with Felicia Medalla, LK Go, Sam Bruce, Sam Green, Annika Cedo and Carlia Canto.

American Tiffany Tavee, who lost to Thai Nontaya Srisawang in a playoff in the Taiwan LPGA’s third leg – the Grand Royal Open – last month, heads the pro cast that includes former Philippine Ladies Open champion Lee Jeong-hwa of Korea and Thais Saraporn Chamchoi, Thanuttra Boonraksasat, Sarauttaya Ngam-usawan, Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul and Alisara Wedchakama.

Meanwhile, Chen Szu-Han, Chen I-Wen, Yeh Hsin-Ning, Lee Hsin, Huang Pei-wen, Lee Tai-ling and Liu Ching-ju lead the big Taiwanese contingent while Gu Na-eun, Kang Ji-won and Hwan Ye-nah join Lee in the Korean squad in the 54-hole tournament co-organized by the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and Taiwan LPGA.

Symetra Tour campaigners Dottie Ardina and Mia Piccio, on the other hand, will banner the local challenge along with back-to-back LPGT Order of Merit champion Cyna Rodriguez, Jayvie Agojo and Chihiro Ikeda.