Princess Superal is set to mount a formidable challenge against Harmie Constantino’s pursuit of a fourth consecutive victory on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, intensifying the competition in the ICTSI Lakewood Championship, which gets going Tuesday (June 4) at the Lakewood Golf and Country Club in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.
Fresh from a stint on the Japan Step Up Tour, Superal aims to apply her new-found skills and make an immediate impact in the 54-hole championship, which serves as the fifth leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
As a former US Girls’ Junior champion and a dominant force in the early stages of the country’s premier ladies circuit sponsored by ICTSI, Superal is no stranger to high-pressure situations. She secured a tie for third at Caliraya Springs, but faced challenges, finishing joint 26th in the Luisita International, a co-sanctioned event of the LPGT and the LPGA of Taiwan Tour.
Meanwhile, the all-weather, par-72 course at Lakewood is set to test the field’s skills and mental resilience with its scenic landscape, multi-bunker fairways, and strategically placed water hazards on most holes. Hosting a tournament of this caliber for the first time, Lakewood promises a challenging and memorable golfing experience over three days of the competition.
Reigning Order of Merit winner Daniella Uy also seeks to make a strong comeback after skipping the Villamor Philippine Masters, while Gretchen Villacencio is eager to redeem herself after narrowly missing a playoff at Villamor due to a couple of missed putts, conceding the title to Constantino, who also reigned at Palos Verdes and Caliraya Springs.
Florence Bisera also seeks to bounce back from her setback at Villamor, where she led the first two days, only to falter under the sweltering conditions of the final round. The South Pacific champion last year is determined to rebound, joined by Apo leg winner Sarah Ababa, Chihiro Ikeda, Mikha Fortuna, Velinda Castil and the returning Marvi Monsalve.
Amateur Jiwon Lee, coming off back-to-back title romps in the Junior LPGT at Splendido Taal and Pradera Verde with an impressive average victory margin of 16 strokes, will also be in the spotlight in the tournament supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf.
Other notable participants include Pamela Mariano, Apple Fudolin, Kristine Fleetwood, Rev Alcantara Lucy Landicho, Kayla Nocum, Eunhua Nam, Lesley Icoy and amateur Juliane Gaerlan with the diverse, talented field promising a highly-competitive and exciting tournament.
