Princess Superal seeks LPGA of Japan berth

MANILA, Philippines — Princess Superal sets out for the third stage of a grueling campaign leading to a dream LPGA of Japan Tour stint, armed with a short game and putting she honed up during a break in the four-district Qualifying Tournament.

The 2018 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 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 today at the Sanyo Golf Club in Okayama Prefecture.

She hopes to finish among the top 50 to qualify for the Final Stage, 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.