Ardina winds up 3rd in Florida

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina settled for third place despite shooting the day’s best score of 72 as local bet Jessica Korda carded a 73 and cruised to an eight-stroke victory over Christine Meier in the FCWT (Future Collegians World Tour) Mission Inn Challenge in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida Sunday.

Ardina birdied two of the last four holes to close out with a 38-34 round for a 54-hole aggregate of 225, nine shots off Korda, who ran away with the title despite dropping two strokes in the last four holes.

Korda’s 36-37 round netted her a 216 for an eight-stroke win over Meier, who also had a 73 for a 224.

Ardina led the 54-hole tournament in the first round with a 73 but blew her bid with an 80 in the next day. She had earlier posted back-to-back victories in the Eagle Creek and Plantation Inn Opens and took runner-up honors in last week’s Terra Lago Open in California.

Sarah Ababa, tied with fellow ICTSI golf scholar Ardina in the second round, made a 73 and finished fourth with a 226 while Chihiro Ikeda wound up sixth with a 230 after a 75.

RP Ladies Open champion Louise Manalo continued to grope for form and ended up seventh with a 233 after a five-over 77.