Superal earns US Women’s Am duel vs defending champ

Princess Superal bundled out Raegan Bremer of California, 3&1, Wednesday but drew defending champion Emma Talley of Kentucky in the second round of the match play phase of the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Nassau Country Club in New York.

Superal never trailed after seizing a 1-up lead with a routine par on No. 2, birdieng No. 15 to go 2-up.  She then wrapped up the match two holes later despite a bogey as Bremer fumbled with a double bogey on the par-4 No. 17.

But the top ICTSI-backed bet, coming off a win in the US Girls’ Junior Championship in Portland last week, will have her hands full against Talley, who pounced on Jiyoon Jang’s bogey mishap on No. 18 to force an all-square match before snatching a 1-up triumph with a par on the 19th hole.

No. 64 Lakareber Abe also took the spotlight in the first round of the knockout stage, dominating low medalist and top seed Bethany Wu from the start en route to a 6&4 rout.

“It’s a tough match for Princess but she has been putting well,” said coach Bong Lopez.

Superal, who finished at joint 15th in the elims, bogeyed No. 3 to make it an all-square match with Bremer but went 1-up again on the next with a par. She bogeyed No. 6 for another all-square game but took Nos. 8 and 9 on a par-birdie stint to gain a 2-up lead at the turn.

Bremer birdied 10th to close in again but Superal matched her rivals bogey-par-bogey-par game from No. 11 to stay in command then birdied the par-5 15th from six feet to go 2-up. After both parred the par-3 16th, Superal missed the 17th green for bogey but nailed the win just the same as Bremer holed out with a double bogey.

Talley struggled in the 36-hole stroke play elims, finishing 47th. She appeared headed for an early exit after trailing Jang going to the 18th. But Jang missed the green and Talley extended the match with a par before holing out with a par on No. 1 to pocket the win.