Superal just 3 behind British Am leader

PRINCESS Superal shot an eagle-spiked one-under-par 73 and trailed Vanessa Knecht of Switzerland by three shots after the first round of the Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Moortown Golf Club in Alwoodley, England, on Wednesday.

Superal, out to atone for missing the cut at the recent US Women’s Amateur, reached No. 16—the last of the six par-5s of the par-74 layout—in two after a solid 5-iron shot from 170 yards, then rolled in a 20-footer to cap her solid start in the 54-hole tournament.

The top ICTSI-The Country Club bet strung up three birdies from No. 7 to negate a double bogey on No. 5. She missed the greens on the par-3 10th and par-4 13th for bogeys.

Knect shot five birdies and an eagle to cushion three bogeys for a 70 and a one-shot lead over Britons Sophie Keech and Meghan MacLaren and India’s Aditi Ashok.

Abi Laker stood in solo fifth at 72 followed by Superal, Bethan Popel, Olivia Mehaffey, Ann Kathrin Wandrey and Sophie Lamb in a five-way tie for sixth.

“She’s still feeling her way through the competition,” said ICTSI-TCC assistant coach Nestor Mendoza. “This is her first time to compete on a European course where winds whip up to 50 kph. We expect her to make her charge in the second round.”