Superal fades with closing 78 in Thai LPGA Championship

MANILA, Philippines – Princess Superal lost her way in a test of nerves, limping with a six-over 78 to tumble from joint lead to a share of 15th in the Thai LPGA Championship won by Wannasiri Sirisampant via sudden death over Patcharajutar Kongkraphan in Khon Kaen, Thailand Thursday.

Sharing the top view with Kongkraphan after 36 holes, Superal fell by two early as the Thai eagled the par-5 No. 3 and faded with a four-bogey plunge in a seven-hole stretch from No. 8. She birdied the short par-4 No. 15 but fumbled with a bogey and a double-bogey in the last two holes for a woeful 38-40 at the demanding Singha Park layout.

From earning a crack at the crown, the ICTSI-backed Superal slumped to joint 15th at 218 overall and remained winless on the Thai LPGA Tour. The 2014 US Girls’ Junior titlist finished joint ninth in the Pattaya Ladies Open last April, placed third in the third Thai LPGA Championship and wound up fourth in the fifth Thai LPGA Championship two weeks ago.

She lost in a playoff to Aunchisa Utama in the fourth Thai LPGA Championship last month.

The multi-titled Filipina exuded confidence when she teed off but missed a couple of birdie chances that hampered her final round drive. She failed to save par on Nos. 8 and 9 and yielded more strokes on Nos. 12 and 14.

Despite her meltdown, she stayed within striking in the stretch at one-under overall as the rest of the bidders also struggled in tough conditions with Kongkraphan and Sirisampant both bogeying he par-3 13th to drop to three-under totals.

But the local aces matched birdies on the 15th get back at four-under overall and Superal bowed out with that disastrous finish.

Sirisampant closed out with a 70 and forced a sudden death at 212 with Kongkraphan, who carded a 72, after both matched pars in the last three holes. But the former, who marked her debut on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour with a victory at Manila Southwoods in 2015, prevailed in the playoff to pocket the top purse of B156,000.