Ardina wavers with 71, drops to joint 10th

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina failed to sustain a solid first round output and scrambled with two birdies at the back to salvage an even par 71 in wet conditions, tumbling down from first to joint 10th in the rain-suspended second round of the W.B. Mason Championship paced by American Vicky Hurst at the Thorny Lea Golf Club in Brockton, Massachusetts Saturday.

After a flawless five-under 66 that netted her the opening round lead Friday, Ardina bogeyed the opening hole, birdied the par-5 second for the second straight day but dropped strokes on Nos. 4 and 9 against a run of pars and fell off the leaderboard as her pursuers assaulted the par-71 layout with under par scores.

But Ardina, from Laguna, fought back with birdies on Nos. 11 and 15 to save a 71 and a 137 but fell five strokes off Hurst, who sizzled with a six-under 65 for a 132.

That was three strokes ahead of Brittany Benvenuto, also of the US, and Canadian Sam Richdate, who fired a 66 and 67, respectively, although eight groups were still to complete their second rounds after play was suspended due to lightning.