Ardina fires solid 65, powers RP to fourth

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina put on a class act on the world stage, firing a bogey-free seven under par 65 as the Philippines surged to a best-ever spot at fourth with a nine-under 279 halfway through the World Amateur Golf Team Championships in Argentina Thursday.

Ardina joined the peerless South Koreans in ripping the Buenos Aires Golf Club course with a run of low scores as the former Junior World champion rammed in seven birdies sparked by a 20-footer on No. 4 and capped by superb approach shot on the 18th that stopped within four feet.

“She played excellent golf, her all-around game was close to being perfect,” said RP and ICTSI team coach Bong Lopez of his prized ward, who struggled a bit with a 73 in the opening round at the nearby Olivos Golf Club layout Wednesday.

With Chihiro Ikeda rebounding from a 77 with a two-under 70, Team RP pooled a nine-under 135 and jumped from joint ninth to solo fourth with a 279 as they head back to the Olivos course for the third round action in the Espirito Santo Trophy Friday.

Mia Piccio, who led Team RP’s impressive first round performance with a gutsy one-under 71, groped for her putting form and didn’t count with a 73 for the squad, whose campaign is sponsored by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Phils.

Korea fired a record-setting 16-under-par 128, also at the BAGC, for a 15-under 273, one stroke ahead of first round leader USA, which had a 274 after a 138 while Germany matched RP’s 135 for third at 277.

The Koreans shattered the record for a single-round of 134 set by the US in the second round in 1998 as Jee-Hi Kim shot a nine-under 63, also a new mark, and Jung-Eun Han added a 65.

Ardina’s 65 also lifted her from a share of 33rd to joint fifth in the individual race as she assembled a 138, just four shots behind Jessica Korda of the US, who had a 134 after a 66. Argentina’s Manuela Carbajo Re (67), Canada’s Christine Wong (65) and Han were tied at 137 followed by Ardina’s group that includes Pia Halbig of Germany (67) and Kim.

Piccio slid from 11th to joint 23rd with a 144 while Ikeda moved up to 55th from 91st with a 147.

It was the Philippines’ best-ever effort so far in the biennial event featuring the world’s top teams with Lopez hoping his talented squad, honed and toughened up by a series of competitions abroad, will be able to sustain its charge in the last 36 holes as they go for a record feat.

The Philippines’ best finish in the Espirito Santo Trophy was ninth in the 1968 edition in Australia.

“It will be tough to at least match that feat but the girls will surely give their best shot. Dottie and Chihiro have regained their confidence after a series of so-so performances while Mia has matured a lot and has been dishing out solid games,” said Lopez.

Ardina, winner of the recent Karambunai Am Open in Malaysia, hit 15 greens in regulation and used her putter 27 times, knocking down birdies on Nos. 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 16 and 18 inside 10 feet.

After an awful first round game, Ikeda stayed late on the range and worked on her shot-making then headed straight to the practice green to polish her stroke.

The Fil-Japanese shotmaker, who ruled the Singapore Am last September, birdied the first three holes in the second round but fumbled with a bogey on No. 5, hit another birdie on the par-3 11 before dropping another stroke on the 17th for a 34-36 card.

Piccio continued to play steady golf, hitting 14 greens in regulation but flubbed a number of birdie opportunities and settled for a one-birdie, two-bogey stint for a 36-37 round.