Ardina trips top seed, gains finals

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina outduelled low medalist Sara Ovadia in a close contest, posting a 2&1 victory to reach the finals of the PNGA (Pacific Northwest Golf Association) Women’s Amateur Championship at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Oregon Thursday.

The 15-year-old Ardina birdied the par-5 16th to gain a two-up cushion then matched Ovadia’s par in the next hole to secure the victory, her second stint in a final in the last three weeks.

She earlier subdued ICTSI teammate Chihiro Ikeda over 19 holes in a thrilling duel then stayed focused against Ovadia, who turned back Shu-Yun Liu, 3&1, in the other quarterfinal pairing.

Ardina, the top ICTSI golf scholar who recently ruled the national amateur championship back home, pounced on the top seeded Ovadia’s bogey mishap on the par-3 No. 2 to seize control.

Although the ace Filipina shotmaker never led by as many two holes, Ardina kept Ovadia in check with clutch pars on Nos. 9 and 11, which the California bet bogeyed.

But she doubled bogeyed No. 13, enabling Ovadia to close within a hole again although Ardina matched her rival’s pars on the next two holes to keep a one-hole lead heading into the 16th, which she birdied from six feet.

A routine par on the 17th clinched the tough win for Ardina, who will be trying to erase the stigma of her final loss to Arizona’s Taylore Karle in the WWGA (Women’s Western Golf Association) Championship in Ohio last June 21.

Cyna Rodriguez, who nipped Anya Tanpinco for the crown here last year, bowed to Kendra Little, 6&4, in the quarters. Little then trounced Pamela Burneski in the other semis match, 7&5, to arrange a duel with Ardina.