THE country’s top golfers, led by Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Princess Superal, compete in the 2014 Champion Infinity Philippine Ladies Open on Jan. 8 at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club in Antipolo, Rizal.
Superal is expected to encounter some tough resistance from Thai star Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong. The two rising stars both beat the pros to highlight their respective campaigns last year with the former winning the fifth and final leg of the inaugural ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour in Baguio and the latter dominating the Thailand Ladies Open.
The 16-year-old Superal capped her remarkable season by winning the individual gold medal in last month’s Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar, making her the player to watch in the annual 54-hole championship.
Filipina Pauline del Rosario, fourth in the Thailand Open and the reigning Junior World (13-14) champion, is also entered in the Philippine Ladies Open. Supamas Sangchan, who beat Dottie Ardina on the sixth playoff hole at Mt. Malarayat last year to snatch the crown, is back to defend her title. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio