PRINCESS Superal picked up another big win as she primed up for the big league, outclassing low medalist Naomi Ko of Victoria BC to clinch the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship crown via an emphatic 6&5 victory in Cle Elum, Washington over the weekend.
Superal put on a strong fightback from a disastrous 77 in the first round of the 36-hole stroke play elims, rallying with a 73 to finish second to Ko, then flashed her awesome form in the match play phase to beat her rivals in lopsided fashions.
She stunned Ko with her solid driving, superb iron play and a near-impeccable short game and won five of the first six holes in the 36-hole finale at the Prospector Course at Suncadia en route to a commanding 6-up lead after the morning duel.
The Canadian ace tried to mount a comeback in afternoon play, moving to within three after 24 holes but The Country Club ace, who won the Philippine Ladies Open and the Hong Kong Ladies Amateur Open early this year, birdied Nos. 25 and 28 to quash the threat and clinched the 6&5 triumph with a par on the 31st hole.
“I really didn’t expect to win and Naomi is really a good player. But I hit it pretty well and my short game and putting clicked,” said Superal, also a low medalist, with TCC teammate Pauline del Rosario, in the recent US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball.
“She was just awesome throughout the match play. She played with a lot of confidence and kept on sinking those putts,” said TCC coach Nestor Mendoza. “In the finals, she hit three birdies in the morning to seize control then gunned down three more in the afternoon to dominate Ko.”
Superal actually finished tied with Ko and Jisoo Keel for first in the elims but Ko, the 2014 PNGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year, took the top seeding in a playoff.
The former US Girls’ Junior champion stamped her class early in the knockout phase, easing out local bet Jalayne Martirez, 2-up, then trampling another Washington bet Kristin Strankman, 7&5, in the second round.
Superal faced another local bet in the quarterfinals but fashioned out another 7&6 romp over Marianne Li then overpowered TCC teammate Sam Martirez, 7&5, to seal a final showdown with Ko.
The field played 36 holes for three days in row through the match play phase and Superal admitted she got a little bit tired but happy to be able to pull it through.
“I was a little tired. I came here to have fun and to get some experience,” said Superal, who is set to join the pro ranks late this year.