Princess Superal beams as she displays her amateur trophy and pro crown after edging Cyna Rodriguez in sudden death to win the ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational crown.

Amateur Princess Superal (left) poses with pro Cyna Rodriguez after ruling the ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational in sudden death.

Amateur Princess Superal proved her worth against a crack pro field that included a slew of Thai aces, nipping reigning back-to-back ICTSI LPGT Order of Merit champion Cyna Rodriguez on the first playoff hole to capture the ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational crown at Wack Wack’s West course yesterday.

Superal knocked down a solid 8-iron approach shot from 130 yards on their second trip on the par-4 No. 18 to within five feet then watched Rodriguez dump hers into the greenside bunker and blast to over 30 feet off the cup, clinching the hard-earned victory with a routine two-putt par.

“I’m so happy to win it. I had near misses to clinch it outright in regulation but I never lost my focus and confidence that I could win this one,” said Superal, the spearhead of ICTSI-The Country Club team who has posted a number of playoff victories in her rise to fame, including against Mexican Marijosse Navarro to capture the US Girls Juniors crown last year.

Tied with Thai Wichanee Meechai and Chihiro Ikeda after 36 holes, Superal went two-up with back-to-back birdies from No. 3 but reeled back with bogeys on Nos. 7 and 9, enabling a host of others to close in and get a crack at the crown in one what could be the most tightly-fought championship in the three-year Ladies Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Superal flubbed a five-footer for birdie on No. 17 that could’ve given her the lead and missed clinching it outright when her putt from 25 feet out on the last hole fell short off target. She wound up with a third straight 72 for a 216.

Two flights ahead, Rodriguez posted the first even-par aggregate with a four-under 68 she highlighted with four birdies at the back as the fancied pro, who won half of the eight titles disputed last year to emerge the top player for the second straight year, made true her vow to end the Thais emergence in the circuit after Meechai came away with a record 15-shot romp at ICTSI Splendido.

But Superal had other things in mind.

“Coach Bong (Lopez) told me before the round that I should stay focused, not to be intimidated by the pros and make the most of the opportunity,” said Superal, who, however, will miss the bannering the national team in the SEA Games in Singapore next month after the country’s golf body refused to seed her into the team despite her run of accomplishments here and abroad.

While Superal took the pro crown, her third after her record Baguio romp in 2013 and her Sherwood feat last year, Rodriguez pocketed the top P100,000 purse in the third leg of the eight-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

The final round actually headed for a wild, wild finish as Thais Saraporn Chamchoi and Wichanee Meechai and joined Rodriguez and Superal in the lead at even par total. But Chamchoi, in the flight ahead, bogeyed the 18th and settled for a 69 and 217 for joint third with Meechai, who stayed on course for a second straight win after a 15-stroke romp at ICTSI Splendido until she fumbled with back-to-back bogeys from No. 15, needing a chip-in par on the last hole to salvage a 73.

Chihiro Ikeda, tied with Superal and Meechai in the lead after 36 holes, bowed out early with a bogey on No. 15 and holed out with another bogey for a 74 and ended up solo fifth at 218.

Apple Fudolin, just one shot off the three leaders with 18 holes to play, stood within striking distance with a birdie on No. 13 but faded with back-to-back bogeys from No. 15, hobbling with a 75 and dropping to joint sixth at 220 with Korean amateur Eu Na Koh, who carded a 74.

Amateur Pauline del Rosario shot a 74 and finished solo eighth at 224 while Jayvie Agojo fired a 71 to share ninth at 225 with Lovelynn Guioguio and Sarah Ababa, who made a 72 and 73, respectively.

See more details for the 2015 ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Invitational

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