MANY-TIME Ladies Philippine Golf Tour winner Princess Superal tries to atone for her poor stint the last out as she joins the hunt in the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Classic which gets going today (Tuesday) at Taal Splendido Golf Club in Tagaytay.
Superal, who has posted victories in the country’s premier ladies circuit even as an amateur, lost by seven to Pauline del Rosario at Pradera in a tournament she was expected to dominate last August. But the Symetra Tour campaigner is out to flaunt her form on a windy course tipped to bring the best and the worst from the compact but talent-laden field with its length and hazards, which come into play in most holes.
Focus will also be on Chihiro Ikeda, who snapped a year-long spell with a thrilling playoff victory over Thai Wannasiri Sirisampant at Forest Hills two weeks ago.
Del Rosario, winner of three of the last five legs of the circuit sponsored by ICTSI, is also raring to rebound from her third place effort at Forest Hills where she missed joining the playoff by one.
Three-time LPGT Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez is also out to bounce back from her joint fourth place finish at Forest Hills, ensuring a spirited battle for the top P150,000 purse in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
But the local aces also face an uphill battle against six Thai campaigners seeking to end the hosts’ domination of the circuit backed by Custom Clubmakers, BDO, Meralco, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Champion, Summit Mineral Water and K&G Golf.
They include Sirirampant, Sarinee Thitiratanakorn, Ananya Vitayakonkomol, Chonlada Chayanun, Cristawan Rungruang and Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro.
Superal slugs it out with fellow Symetra Tour campaigner Rodriguez and Rungruang at 7:30 a.m. to be flowed by the 7:40 a.m. group of Del Rosario, Sirisampant and Ikeda.
Also vying in the P750,000 event are Jan Punzalan, Lucy Landicho, Sheryl Villasencio,
Sylvia Torres, Gretchen Villacencio, Apple Fudolin and former LPGT winners Sarah and Korean Euna Koh along with amateurs Mafy Singson, Samantha Dizon and Isabela Miravite.