Post Date:  March 9, 2015

File Photo: Priness Superal (Bong Mercado)

Princess Superal sets out for what could be her toughest test in a checkered amateur career as she slugs it out with some of the region’s top pros in the rich ICTSI Ladies Open firing off Wednesday at Southlinks Golf Club in Las Piñas.

Superal, eyeing to join the big league at the end of the year, spearheads a crack amateur contingent mixing it up with the local and foreign pros in the $75,000 tournament presented by Champion Infinity serving as the fourth stage of the Taiwan LPGA and the kickoff leg of this year’s ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The reigning US Girls’ Junior champion has won her first overseas stint last month in California but faces an uphill battle against a slew of talented pros from Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Japan and the US over a course that requires precision and conservative play.

“There are pick-up spots at Southlinks. Save for the par-5s, some holes require conservative approach. The key is to hit the fairway,” said Superal, who has bested the local pros by winning the last leg of the first two seasons of the LPGT.

The field tests par-72 layout in a practice round today and will again play tomorrow in the traditional pro-am tournament along with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including ICTSI, Nike, Sharp and Custom Clubmakers.