MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina bucked a late start and hit two birdies, preserving a two-under 70 in tough conditions to make it to the weekend play of the ISPS Handa Vic Open being paced by Swede Madalene Sagstrom in Victoria, Australia yesterday.
Coming off a three-under 70 at the par-73 Creek layout Thursday, Ardina braced for a challenging day at the tougher par-72 Beach course, banking on her superb putting to overcome a shaky iron game and salvage a number of pars for a 35-35 card laced with birdies on Nos. 8 and 10.
With a two-day total of 140, however, the Canlubang pro dropped to joint 33rd with four others and fell eight strokes off Sagstrom, who kept her birdie-splurge by gunning down seven to negate her two-bogey mishap for a 67, also at the Beach course, and a 132.
American Ally McDonald sizzled with a solid 65 at Creek and moved to second at 133 even. Erstwhile joint leader Haeji Kang of Korea slowed down with a 71 and slipped to joint sixth at 136 behind 135 scorers Aussie Robyn Choi, Ayean Cho, also of Korea, and Linnea Strom of Sweden, who turned in 65, 66 and 69, respectively.
Yuka Saso, meanwhile, failed to cash in on her early start and a birdie-birdie feat from No. 10 on her way home, bogeying No. 13 and settling for a 73 at Creek to bow out of the A$1.5 million event where the top 60 plus ties advanced to the next round.
The top 35 plus ties after 54 holes will head to the final round.
The 2018 Asian Games gold medalist, who groped for form with a 74 at Beach, birdied the opening hole and rebounded from a bogey on No. 4 with another birdie on the sixth. But she yielded two strokes on the par-4 No. 8 and stumbled after opening her backside stint with back-to-back birdies. She ended up with a 147 for joint 106th in the 143-player field.
The ICTSI-backed Ardina is eyeing a crack at a second straight title after ruling the Ballarat Icons Pro-Am tournament last week.