Eagle puts Superal back in British Am hunt

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal bucked tough conditions and gunned down an eagle coming home to salvage a one-under 73 and trail Vanessa Knecht of Switzerland by three at the start of the Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at the Moortown Golf Club in Alwoodley, England Wednesday.

Superal, trying to atone for her missed cut stint at US Women’s Amateur two weeks ago, reached the last of the six par-5s of the par-74 layout (No. 16) in two off a solid 5-iron shot from 170 yards then rolled in a 20-footer to cap her rollercoaster start in the 54-hole tournament featuring the host country’s leading amateur players.

The top ICTSI-The Country Club bet actually poised to post a lower score after stringing three straight birdies from No. 7 to negate a double-bogey mishap on No. 5 to make the turn at one-under 37. But she missed the greens on the par-3 10th and par-4 13th and failed to return par putts inside six feet.

But after back-to-back pars, the diminutive former US Girls’ Junior champion came up big with a big drive and superb second shot she capped with a solid putt to put herself in early contention.

Knect kicked off her title drive with two birdies, hit an eagle on the ninth, then added three more birdies against three bogeys for a four-under 70 and a one-stroke lead over compatriots Sophie Keech and Meghan MacLaren and Aditi Ashok of India, who all carded 71s.

Abi Laker from Frilford Heath stood in solo fifth at 72 while Bethan Popel, Olivia Mehaffey, Ann Kathrin Wandrey and Sophie Lamb joined Superal at sixth with 73s.