PH Ladies Open tees off; Superal top favorite

Princess Superal hopes to start the year the way she capped off her magical run last season as she heads the local challenge in the Champion Infinity Philippine Ladies Open that tees off today at Wack Wack’s West course in Mandaluyong.

A winner of 12 tournaments last year, including her last five, Superal will be the player to beat in the talented field, which includes crack players from Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia.

“I hope that this year will be as good as the last,” Superal said.

Superal was with the rest of the rock-solid ICTSI team at Manila Southwoods yesterday for a final workout under coach Bong Lopez, who expressed confidence that the Philippines could regain the crown this year.

A Thai, Supamas Sangchan, defeated Dottie Ardina in 2012 at Mount Malarayat and Superal at Forest Hills last year to deny a Filipino the title. Sangchan has turned pro.

“I have high expectations (from my players),” Lopez said. “The Thai team is also good. But I am confident that we can take them.”

The 54-hole event is being supported by Mega Fiber, the Philippine Golf Tour, PacSports and Shell Philippines and C2 as official beverage and Vermogen as official apparel.

Pauline del Rosario, Yuka Saso and Abegail Arevalo are the other notable ICTSI stalwarts in the field. Thailand will be led by reigning Singha Thailand Open champion Kanyalak Preedasutthijit.

Part of Superal’s fiery 2014 season included wins in the Southeast Asian Games and the US Junior Girls Match Play where she humbled crack Mexican Marijosie Navarro.