Sunday, February 18, 2007 CCC Jungolfers upstage golf prodigy Superal
THE CCC Jungolfers won the first match against golf prodigy Wolen Superal in the two-day series dubbed the Da Vinci’s Beat-A-World-Champion Jungolf Challenge. The final score was 3 and 1.
Playing in the modified best ball match, the former Junior World Champion pitted his own ball versus the combined best-balls of Kriztine Uy, Shotaro Suda, Kento Nakada and reinforcement Edsel Tan in the outward nine.
Superal stumbled in the first hole with a three-putt bogey as Uy parred, making the CCC Juniors draw first blood.
Tan, a special invitee for this event due to his status as the best Cebuano finisher in the Philippine Men’s Amateur Golf Championship, birdied the second hole against Superal’s routine par. Thereafter, Uy birdied the 3rd giving her side a 3-up lead after three.
The 14-year-old Superal got his bearings with birdies on the 5th and 9th holes against a bogey on the 7th to stand 2-down at the turn. His opponents for the inward nine were the Olea siblings – Franz and younger sister Abby.
Opportunities
Despite spectacularly hitting the par-5 11th green in two playing from the championship tees against the wind, Superal failed to capitalize as he three-putted for par to remain 2-down.
Another opportunity arose in the 12th where he hit his second shot hole-high and none of his opponents were in the green. Abby Olea saved par from the sand trap while Superal’s birdie putt fell an inch short.
On the 15h hole, Superal flubbed a two-footer for par after hitting a spectacular bunker shot while the younger Olea got up and down from the back of the green to save her par. Superal was three down with three to go and the best he could hope for was a draw.
Playing well
Superal came firing in the remaining holes, taking the 16th after his 5-footer for birdie was conceded when both opponents failed to par. He hit to within gimme distance for birdie on the 17th hole, but the younger Olea also birdied the hole to close the match and secure the 3 and 1 win.
“I three-putted twice and left out a couple that I normally make,” said Superal in reference to the tricky greens of the 6,546-yard par-72 layout of Cebu Country Club. “But all credit goes to them, they played very well especially Kriztine and Abby,” he added.
Today is the second and final day of the special event sponsored by Da Vinci’s Pizza. While few juniors participated in the first day due to school obligations, more are expected today. (PR)
