Superal targets berth in Japan LPGA

MANILA, Philippines — Princess Superal gears up for the last two stages of a grueling campaign leading to a dream LPGA of Japan Tour stint, working on her short game and putting during the break in the four-district Qualifying Tournament.

The newly crowned Order of Merit champion of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour pooled a two-under 214 on rounds of 71-73-70 in Stage 1 topped by Minseo Kwak (205) in Osaka at the Kokopa Resort Club in Mie Prefecture.

Though she struggled in the next with a four-over 220 at the tougher Ise Country Club on a pair of 74s and a 72 to finish seven strokes behind Eimi Koga’s 213, the former US Girls Junior champion easily made it to Stage 3, another 54-hole elims, starting Nov. 22 at the Sanyo Golf Club in Okayama Prefecture where she vowed to toughen up in an attempt to earn a slot in the Final qualifying tournament, a 72-hole event, on Nov. 27 at the Tokyu Grand Oak Golf Club in Hyodo.

“I already played in the first two stages and I need two more tournaments to be able to play in the regular tour,” said Superal, who is bidding to become the first Filipina to play in the region’s most lucrative ladies circuit, which held at least 38 tournaments in the season about to end.

“But she has to toughen up since the field is strong. She must improve on her iron and short game and at the same time polish her putting stroke, which are key to courses in Japan,” said coach Bong Lopez, who also handles Angelo Que, who recently scored a breakthrough victory in the TOP Tokai Cup Classic of the Japan PGA Tour.