Phl golfers end up fourth in Sirikit Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Cyna Rodriguez rebounded from two so-so rounds with a two-under 70 but Clare Legaspi and Dottie Ardina limped home with over par cards as the Philippines shot the day’s best 147 to finish joint fourth in the Asia-Pacific Ladies Invitational golf team championship at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taiwan yesterday.

Rodriguez, who didn’t count with 80 and 77 in the first two rounds, gunned down four birdies this time to negate his two-bogey mishap at the back for that 70. But the reigning Hong Kong Amateur Open champion’s final round effort went for naught as Legaspi skied to a 77 and Ardina bombed out with one of her worst rounds – an 83 that included two double-bogeys and seven bogeys without a birdie to show.

With a closing 147, which proved to be the best in windy day, the Phl pooled a 445 to tie last year’s champion Korea, which hobbled with a 152, at fourth, eight shots behind Australia, which turned in a 148 and a 437 and nipped Japan by one in the event also known as the Queen Sirikit Cup.

The Japanese also shot a 148 for a 438 while Thailand placed third with a 439 after a 149.

Legaspi holed out with back-to-back double-bogeys at the back for a 42 although she held on with a one-birdie stint at the front to salvage a 77. In contrast, Ardina, winner of the individual crown two years ago in India, failed to recover from a backside start of 44 and wound up with a 39.

Thai Supamas Sangchan rallied with a 69 to snatch the individual crown at 214, beating Aussie Oh Su-hun, which had a 217 after 74, while Korean Gyeol Park finished third with 75 for a 218.

Malaysia and Taiwan finished joint sixth at 447 after a 149 and 152, respectively, while India shot a 158 for a 462 for a share of eighth with Hong Kong, which had a 156. New Zealand had a 463 after a 151 while Singapore ended up last at 486 after a 170.