Superal slips with 2nd 74, falls behind by 9 in Thailand LPGA Championship

MANILA, Philippines – Princess Superal failed to get going despite an early tee-off and posted a second straight 74 to bow out of the title chase in the Thailand LPGA Championship at the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course in Hua Hin Thursday.

Amateur N. Noramol took a step closer to humbling a stellar pro field as she grabbed the solo lead at 139 after a 70 but just a stroke behind is the most feared player in the fold – multi-titled Kongkraphan Patcharajutar, who also turned in a two-under card to pool a 140.

Superal made two bogeys against a birdie in a backside start and matched that effort in the last nine holes for a pair of 37s and a two-day total of 148. She slipped to joint 27th from a share of 24th, now nine shots off the new leader heading to the last 18 holes of the THB2.5 million tournament.

Bidding to gain ground in the morning wave, the ICTSI-backed Superal instead dropped a stroke on No. 10, where she started, regained it two holes later but reeled back again with another mishap on the 18th.

She birdied the third hole after yielding another shot on No. 2 but bogeyed the par-4 sixth for another two-over output in tough conditions.

Meanwhile, a wild finish loomed as P. Preenaphan likewise put in a 70 and K. Samaporn turned in the day’s best score of 69 as they tied for third at 141, just two strokes off Noramol while M. Phannarai assembled a 142 after a 72.