Princess cops Cinderella finish

PRINCESS Superal completed a Cinderella pro debut yesterday by carving it out in the most thrilling fashion.

The multi-tiled 19-year-old dropped a tricky 12-foot putt for birdie on the first hole of a four-player sudden death playoff to rule the
ICTSI Ladies Sherwood Hills Classic in style at the Jack Nicklaus-designed gem in Trece Martires, Cavite.

Superal needed to come back from two strokes down with three holes to play, birdieing the 16th for a level 72 and 212 overall before telling everyone who’s boss in the playoff.

Amateur Pauline del Rosario fired a 69 and Thailand’s Aunchisa Utama and Ajira Nualraksa shot 68 and 70, respectively, to tie Superal after 54 holes and force the biggest sudden death playoff in the history of the fledging tour.

Chatprapa Siriprakob, the first-round leader who was just a shot behind Superal at the start of the day, skied to a 75 to finish three behind, with Jayvie Agojo shooting a 74 for a level 216.

Superal opened up a two-shot lead on the field after making the turn at 35, before stumbling with successive bogeys from the 11th and another on the 15th even as Del Rosario, after picking up four shots on a three-hole stretch from No. 12, seized the pace.

Del Rosario, though, would allow Superal and the two Thais back in the hunt by bogeying the 18th.

“I feel very happy because I still found a way to win,” said Superal, a winner of three legs as an amateur. “This certainly means a lot to me.”

Superal is trying to round out her fiercest form as she competes in Stage II of the US LPGA Qualifying next month. She finished tied for second in the opening stage two weeks ago. Musong R. Castillo