Ardina wins Southern Ladies tilt
02/07/2010 | 11:39 AM
Dottie Ardina, playing in her second to the last tourney before heading back to the US, finally put one over her good friend Chihiro Ikeda as she captured her first title in the Southern Ladies Golf Tournament held at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.
A long, 18-foot birdie on the closing hole of the 54-hole event organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) did the trick for the 16-year-old Ardina, who closed out with 49 Molave points.
Ardina lost her two-point advantage at the onset but recovered in time with two clutch putts to overcome a two-point deficit in the last three holes, including a delicate three-foot putt for birdie on No. 16, and that title-clinching birdie on the 54th hole to clinch the overall championship.
She totaled 152 points, three ahead of the 18-year-old Ikeda, who yielded with a bogey on No. 16 and a double bogey on the 17th, but looked headed for a playoff when she birdied the 18th from close range. She ended with 151 points.
It was an inspiring victory for the US-based Ardina, who teamed up with Ikeda and Mia Piccio in bagging the team gold medal in the last SEA Games in Laos with Ikeda also taking the individual gold with a playoff victory over Thai rival Yupaporn Kawinpakorn.
The win also came four days before the WWWExpress-DHL Amateur Open Championships beginning Wednesday in Canlubang where Ardina is expected to slug it out again with Ikeda.
“This will boost my confidence," said Ardina.
Former champion Anya Tanpinco had a 147 after a 46 for second while Daniella Uy also made a 46 for a 142.
Andie Unson turned in a 138 after a 46 while Shery Villecencio completed the ICTSI bets' domination with 39 points for joint sixth with Del Monte’s Lovelyn Guioguio (45) and Sarah Ababa (47) at 134. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV
A long, 18-foot birdie on the closing hole of the 54-hole event organized by the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) did the trick for the 16-year-old Ardina, who closed out with 49 Molave points.
Newly-crowned Southern Ladies Golf Tournament champion Dottie Ardina. GMANews.TV
Ardina lost her two-point advantage at the onset but recovered in time with two clutch putts to overcome a two-point deficit in the last three holes, including a delicate three-foot putt for birdie on No. 16, and that title-clinching birdie on the 54th hole to clinch the overall championship.
She totaled 152 points, three ahead of the 18-year-old Ikeda, who yielded with a bogey on No. 16 and a double bogey on the 17th, but looked headed for a playoff when she birdied the 18th from close range. She ended with 151 points.
It was an inspiring victory for the US-based Ardina, who teamed up with Ikeda and Mia Piccio in bagging the team gold medal in the last SEA Games in Laos with Ikeda also taking the individual gold with a playoff victory over Thai rival Yupaporn Kawinpakorn.
The win also came four days before the WWWExpress-DHL Amateur Open Championships beginning Wednesday in Canlubang where Ardina is expected to slug it out again with Ikeda.
“This will boost my confidence," said Ardina.
Former champion Anya Tanpinco had a 147 after a 46 for second while Daniella Uy also made a 46 for a 142.
Andie Unson turned in a 138 after a 46 while Shery Villecencio completed the ICTSI bets' domination with 39 points for joint sixth with Del Monte’s Lovelyn Guioguio (45) and Sarah Ababa (47) at 134. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV
