Agojo, 2 others enter US Women's Am

MANILA, Philippines - Jayvie Agojo carded a one-over par 72 and topped the US Women’s Amateur Sectional Qualifying at the Green Gables Country Club in Denver, Colorado while teammate Cyna Rodriguez finished third with a 74 to clinch a berth in the tournament proper.

Agojo bucked a pair of three-putt bogeys in the early going and two missed green bogeys at the back with an eagle at the par-5 No. 15 then made clutch pars in the last three holes to save a round of 72 at the par-71 layout.

Rodriguez mixed four bogeys and a double bogeys against three birdies for that 74 that proved enough to notch one of the five slots staked in the sectional qualifier.

Sunshine Baraquiel, however, failed to advance with a 77, losing the fifth and last seat to Melissa Martin in a playoff.

Chihiro Ikeda also gained a slot in the US Women’s Am as she finished second to Haley Stephens with a 73 at the Country Club of York in Pennsylvania.

Agojo, Rodriguez and Ikeda thus joined teammate Sarah Ababa, who earlier gained a berth in the annual event slated Aug. 8-14 at the Rhode Island Country Club.

Over in Chicago, Dottie Ardina closed out with a two-under card at the front and salvaged a three-over 75 to clinch a berth in the match play phase of the US Girls’ Junior Championship at the Olympia Fields Country Club.

Ardina struggled at the backside where she teed off, making bogeys on Nos. 10, 12, 15, 17 and 18 but gunned down two birdies in the last nine holes to finish in joint 32nd.

She was seven shots off Thai’s Ariya Jutanugarn who clinched the low medal honors with a 68 and towed 63 others in the knockout stage of the annual tournament among the world’s leading and rising junior players.

ICTSI teammate Daniella Uy also made it with a 77 for joint 51st but Andie Unson bombed out with an 81.