Twin victories loom for PH women golfers

NAYPYITAW—A golden double in women’s golf  loomed for the Philippines in the 27th Southeast Asian Games as Princess Superal swept into the individual lead yesterday while powering the Philippines to a seven-shot advantage over host Burma (Myanmar) at Royal Myanmar Golf Club course here.

Superal fired a 6-under par 66 and now has a two-round total of 138, six strokes ahead of Burma’s Yin May Myo (144) in individual play.

Counting Katrina Delen Briones’ 73, the PH bets pooled 139 for the day for a 283 aggregate, seven up on the hosts (290) and 12 ahead of Thailand (295).

Mia Legaspi, who was tied for second in individual play like Superal after an even-par opening round, struggled to a 75 and did not count.

But Legaspi remained in medal contention going into today’s final round with a 36-hole card of 147, good for a share of third with Burma’s May Oo Kgine, Malaysia’s Michelle Lay Sia Joh and Thailand’s Supamas Sangchan.

The country produced only a bronze through Dottie Ardina in the 2011 competition in Indonesia.

The men’s team, however, seemed headed for another shutout despite pooling its best score of the tournament with 215 for a 655 total in three rounds.

Jobim Carlos broke par for the first time with a 71, while Rupert Zaragosa and Justin Quiban submitted even-par 72s.

But pacesetting Thailand still opened an unassailable 33-stroke lead over the Filipinos, the reigning Putra Cup champions. The Filipinos also stood 18 shots behind the third-running Malaysians.

Starting her round on No. 10, Superal gunned down seven birdies against a lone bogey.

“My putting improved and I guess I got a little lucky with some of my shots,” said Superal, who bested a slew of topnotch pros in ruling the ICTSI Camp John Hay leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour last month.

The daughter of a former touring pro who now teaches the game for a living, Superal birdied all the four par-5s over the water-laden layout, but her most impressive shot came on the par-4 No. 3 when she holed out from the bunker.

The shot was part of a scintillating stretch for Superal, who gunned down three straight birdies from No. 2 and added another on No. 6.