Superal snaps spell, clinches Sabah crown

MANILA, Philippines - Princess Superal broke a long slump with an emphatic wire-to-wire victory in the Sabah International Junior Masters, closing out with a five-under 67 and beating The Country Club teammate Pauline del Rosario by eight at the Sabah Golf Club in Kota Kinabalu Sunday.

Superal birdied the first three holes to pull away by six then added three more birdies against a lone bogey on No. 10 to finish with a 32-35 card, running away with the centerpiece 16-18 championship on an impressive 54-hole total of nine-under 207.

The victory, her first since winning the San Francisco Juniors last August, thus snapped a run of failed bids for the former US Girls’ Juniors champion, including a runner-up finish at ICTSI LPGT Mt. Malarayat. It also broke Del Rosario’s run of victories , including  thrilling wins in the Thailand Amateur Open and Thailand Juniors.

Three behind after two rounds, Del Rosario failed to match Superal’s hot start and settled for a run of pars en route to a 72 for second at 215 while Malaysian Nur Eliana ended up way behind at third at 230 after a 78.

Sam Martirez and Abby Arevalo wound up with a pair of 75s and finished tied at 232.

Mikhaela Fortuna completed Team TCC’s sweep of the event, carding a 75 for a 223 and besting Malaysian Ng Yu Xuan by four in the 13-15 category of the event which drew some of the region’s leading and rising junior players.

Fortuna rode on a fiery windup to overcome a shaky start, birdying the last two holes to frustrate Ng, who turned in a 74 for a 227, tying Bernice Olivarez-Ilas, who fumbled with a 79, at third.