Princess Superal clawed her way back to the top with the grit of a champion and the fire of someone who never stopped believing.
After four long years of waiting, working, and wondering if her game would ever return to its former brilliance, the former US Girls’ Junior champion finally broke through. In a nerve-wracking sudden-death playoff, Superal edged Sarah Ababa to capture the ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship crown in dramatic fashion Thursday in Cavinti, Laguna.
“It feels great. I’m so happy,” said Superal, finally letting the emotions of a long title drought melt away. “This year, naramdaman ko talaga na nag-i-improve na ang laro ko. I’ve been waiting for this moment – and deep down, I knew I could win again.”
She certainly proved it.
Heading into the final round tied with Ababa and Chihiro Ikeda, Superal played with calm precision, carding pars on the first 13 holes. A timely birdie on the 14th kept her within striking distance as Ababa seized solo control early with a solid frontside 34.
A bogey on the 15th momentarily stalled Superal’s momentum, but she held firm with three consecutive pars to close with an even-par 72, finishing with a 54-hole total of four-under 212.
At first, it didn’t look like it would be enough—Ababa held a two-shot cushion with just two holes to play. But under the mounting pressure, the Davaoeña faltered, dropping shots on Nos. 17 and 18 to finish with a level-par round and fall into a playoff against a surging Superal.
“I just tried to stay consistent and focused on my game,” said Superal. “I knew there was still a chance if I just kept believing.”
And believe she did—especially when it mattered most.
Returning to the par-4 18th for the playoff, both players found the fairway but came up short of the green. From 12 yards out, Superal summoned the short-game magic that once made her a force on the international stage—her deft chip, reminiscent of the form that helped her beat three former major champions at the inaugural Asia Pacific Cup, settled just four feet from the hole.
She calmly sank the par.
(C) LPGT
Ababa, facing a longer attempt from 20 yards, missed her par bid, handing Superal the victory and the champion’s purse of P125,000.
It was a sweet and long-awaited moment for the 26-year-old, who has spent the past few years quietly battling injuries and self-doubt. Once hailed as the country’s brightest young star, Superal has spent recent seasons trying to rediscover the form that once made her a household name in Philippine golf.
“I struggled for three years because of injury,” said Superal, whose last win came at Eagle Ridge in 2021. “But we just focused on getting stronger, building everything back. Then suddenly, things started to click. I could feel it. I could feel my game coming back—and I held on to that.”
That gut feel—that something was shifting in her swing, her rhythm, her mindset—became her fuel.
She credited her long-time coach, Bong Lopez, for guiding her through the difficult stretch, helping her rebuild her game both technically and mentally.
“I knew I could win again. I never stopped believing—but it’s still a little overwhelming how fast things turned around,” she added.
Ababa, who appeared poised for another title after her win in last year’s Iloilo leg and a key birdie on the 16th, couldn’t recover from her late-round bogeys and settled for second place and P82,000.
Florence Bisera birdied the final hole to complete a third straight 71 and finish solo third at 213, just one stroke shy of joining the playoff. Defending champion Harmie Constantino carded a 72 after an up-and-down back nine marked by three birdies and three bogeys, finishing fourth at 214.
Tiffany Lee posted the round of the day with a 70 to secure fifth place at 215.
Ikeda, part of the final round lead trio, faltered with an error-filled 40 on the front nine and ended with a 76, dropping to sixth at 216. Mafy Singson (71), Korea’s Seo Yun Kim (73), and Martina Miñoza (74) shared seventh at 217.
But the spotlight—and the stage—belonged to Superal.
