Rules 2nd leg by 8 shots: Ardina completes back-to-back romp

MANILA, Philippines - From a come-from-behind victory to a runaway triumph, Dottie Ardina said there was hardly any change in approach or game-plan in securing her second straight championship on the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“Wala naman nagbago (Nothing has changed). Focus lang as always and beat the course,” said Ardina moments after going 2-for-2 as a pro, scoring an expected romp with a closing second straight six-under 66 for an eight-shot victory over Chihiro Ikeda.

Everything she did right in dominating the field with a bogey-free 66 Wednesday she did again yesterday, plus more – firing a sterling five-under 31 at the back of Cangolf’s North course to rout the field toughened up by Ikeda’s entry.

She actually led by as many as nine after back-to-back birdies from No. 10 but settled for the final margin with an 11-under 205 aggregate as Ikeda rattled off four birdies in the last six holes to rally with a 69 and claim second place at 213 in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“Big thanks to daddy (Ed). We really prepared hard for this tour,” said Ardina, who pocketed another P100,000 in a great start to a pro career.

Unlike in her victory in the kickoff leg of the inaugural ladies circuit at The Country Club last month – where she came from behind to edge amateur Princess Superal with a solid seven-under 65, also behind a closing 31, Ardina this time made sure to pull away from the pack early, birdying two of the first three holes and extending her overnight five-shot lead to seven at the turn.

It was cruise control for Ardina from there as Ikeda never got going until late in the round when she dropped four birdies inside six feet in the closing holes to take the runner-up honors worth P70,000.

“She’s so good today. She could make the putt from any distance,” said Ikeda.

Superal also rallied with a 69 to finish third at even 216 worth P45,000 and emerge the top amateur for the second straight leg while Anya Tanpinco carded a second 71 for a 219 and wound up fourth in the event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Gatorade, Sharp and Custom Clubmakers.

Lovelynn Guioguio, who led in the first round with a 70, never recovered from a second day 78 and hobbled with a 77, dropping to joint sixth with Lucy Landicho, who matched par 72, at 225 while ICTSI amateur team’s Sofia Chabon turned in a 74 to claim solo eighth at 227.

Apple Fudolin made a 78 and ended up ninth at 230 while amateur Bernice Olivarez-Ilas shot a 76 to share 10th place with Sarah Ababa, who had three 77s, fellow amateurs Pauline del Rosario and Harmie Constantino, who had 78 and 81, respectively, for 231s.

True to her form, Ardina started out strong to dash whatever hopes Ikeda had when she took the challenger’s role with a 67 Wednesday, birdying Nos. 1 and 3 and watching Ikeda drop a stroke on the third that negated her birdie on the second.

Ardina missed the par-3 No. 6 and made a bogey for the lone black mark in an otherwise sterling card but Ikeda failed to cash in on the mishap as she also dropped a stroke on the seventh. With a 35 against Ikeda’s 37 after nine holes, the former Junior World champion showed up her former amateur teammate with back-to-back birdies to start her backside run.

Reeling from Ardina’s brilliant form, Ikeda answered back in the closing holes, matching her rival’s back-to-back birdies from No. 13 and another on the 16th before capping her birdie-binge with another on the par-5 17th.