Golf: Superal, Ardina finish in the top four of Thai Ladies Am Open

Princess Superal and Dottie Ardina of the ICTSI team from the Philippines gave one heavy push in the final round to finish in third and fourth place, respectively, in the 23rd Thailand Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship at the Bangsai Golf Club in Thailand on Friday.

[Related: Superal stays afloat with four-under-par 68]

Out of the top five after the second round, the petite but steady hitter Superal came through with a two-under-par 70 for a 204, while the veteran Ardina, who had already pocketed the Flight A division (18-20 years old) title on Thursday, carded a four-under-par 68 for 206.

The ICTSI bets of national coach Bong Lopez were a few strokes behind joint first placers Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (73) and Panarat Tanpolbunyarat (71) of Thailand with similar 201s.  Sherman, though, outlasted Panarat in a tough, four-hole playoff for the overall crown.

Ornicha Konsunthea (73-206) was tied with Ardina but was relegated to fifth place because the latter had a better final round.  

Supamas Sangchan, who won the Philippine Ladies Open in February, was sixth with 208 after a 75.  Malaysian Michelle Koh (71-210) was seventh. Other ICTSI players who saw action were Sarah Ababa (80-226), Sofia Chabon (75-226) and Abby Arevalo (77-233).

"The girls played great today.  They never gave up despite being down two-thirds of the way," Lopez said.

In the team competition, wherein the two best scores from three players count for the day, the ICTSI, composed of Superal, Ardina and Ababa, took home the tiara for the net team overall score to beat the trio of Ornicha, Supamas, and Benyapa Niphatsophon, 263-266. - AMD, GMA News