Philippine stalwart Princess Mary Superal produced a regal display to claim a runaway victory in the female-dominated seventh edition of the Faldo Series Philippines Championship.
In the opening event of the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia season, Superal, competing in the Girls’ Under-21 Division, swept aside her rivals with a performance of poise and power.
“Princess is continuing the wonderful tradition of outstanding female players who have excelled in the Faldo Series Asia,” said Sir Nick Faldo. “What a memorable start the new season for Princess … and for the Faldo Series Asia.”
Following an opening 75 in tough conditions over the Faldo Course at Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club, Superal posted consecutive rounds of two-under-par 70.
That gave her a 54-hole total of one-under 215 and a five-stroke triumph from Sofia Chabon with Pauline Del Rosario a further three shots back in third place overall. Both Chabon and Del Rosario were in the Girls’ Under-16 Division.
The result also enabled Superal to reassert her authority over Del Rosario. At the eighth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final six weeks earlier, Superal had to settle for second place in the Girls’ Division, losing out to her younger compatriot.
As winners of their respective age group categories, Superal and Chabon have qualified for the ninth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo in March 2015.
There they will be joined in the World Amateur Golf Ranking event by the winners of the three Boys categories – Jan Philippe De Claro (Under-21); Justin Quiban (Under-18) and Junior World Champion Kristoffer Arevalo (Under-16).
More than 70 golfers were in action during the Philippines Championship, including a special ‘Faldo Mini Series’ division of nine to 12-year-olds, introduced to create access at the grassroots level.
Supported by The R&A, ISPS and Mission Hills and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia campaign will stretch over 11 months and be made up of a minimum of 20 championships. The provisional schedule will be announced next week.
Recognised as the only global amateur series for boys and girls, the Faldo Series was established in 1996, expanding to Asia in 2006.
Today, 40 Faldo Series tournaments take place in 30-plus countries worldwide, touching more than 7,000 golfers each year. Past winners include Major champions Rory McIlroy and Tseng Ya-ni.
In September 2014, Faldo will begin taking students at a full-time residential academy for education and golf development in America. The first FaldoSeriesAcademy in Casa Grande, Arizona is also home to the Faldo Series USA and marks the next significant step in the programme’s history.
For more information on the Faldo Series, please visit: http://nickfaldo.com/about-faldo-series. You can also follow the Faldo Series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/faldoseries and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/faldoseries