PRESS RELEASE
Princess Superal carded a 71 but Miya Legaspi sputtered with a 76 as the Philippines lost steam with a 147 and finished third in the Queen Sirikit Cup won by a hot-finishing South Korea at the Saujana Golf and Country Club in Malaysia late Friday.
The Pinay golfers, who led the field by two after two rounds, withstood the Koreans’ hot start of five-under with their own two-under effort on Superal’s three-under card after nine holes. But Superal and Legaspi wavered and the Koreans went on to finish a fiery five-under-par 139 total to clinch the team crown with a 425 aggregate.
The Philippines, whose stint was sanctioned and sponsored by the Women’s Golf Association of the Phils., ended up with a 431 and missed clinching a third runner-up finish after losing to China, which assembled a 145, in the countback.
“They actually started strong but the Koreans were simply too hot. After Mia bogeyed No. 11 and Princess dropped a stroke on No. 12, they fell behind by five. But they played really well on a tough course and against the fancied Koreans,” said Team ICTSI coach Bong Lopez.
Pauline del Rosario, winner of the Junior World (13-14) crown last year, didn’t count with a 78.
It was Korea’s seventh title in the last eight years, including six straight from 2007 at The Country Club, while last year’s winner Australia rallied with the tournament-best 138 to salvage fourth at 435.
Japan placed fifth at 438 after a 147 while Chinese Taipei pooled a 145 for 439 and Thailand, the Philippines’ chief SEA Games rival, wound up seventh at 446 after a 147.
Superal finished fourth in the individual competition with a two-under 214, five shots behind winner Shi Yuting of China, who had a 209 after a 71. Taiwan’s Cheng Ssu-Chia shot a 69 for a 211 and nipped Korean Lee So-young in the countback for runner-up honors.
Legaspi, who showed the way in the first round with a 69, finished ninth with a 218.
