Pagdanganan, Ardina step up drive for LPGA Tour cards

MANILA, Philippines – Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina set out for the final stretch of the grueling road leading to LPGA Tour status, recharged but hard-pressed to come out strong in what promises to be a wild Q-Series Week 2, which resumes Thursday in Dothan, Alabama (Friday, Manila time).

Pagdanganan, however, is coming into the tournament at the Highland Oaks Golf Course exuding confidence. This after having rallied from tied 37th to a share of 17th after closing the first half of the two-week elims with a 68 at the Crossings and an eagle-spiked 67 at Falls at the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Mobile, also in Alabama, last week.

She tees off at 8:25 a.m. with Japanese Minami Katsu and Swede Dani Holmqvist with 276 totals.

Ardina, for her part, struggled after putting herself in strong contention at joint 14th with a solid 67 on her 28th birthday in the second round Friday and a 68 in the next. She fumbled with a fourth round 73 and slipped to joint 41st heading to the final week.

But Round 5 looks daunting for the ICTSI-backed shotmakers with a host of aces all primed for the coveted Top 20 and ties, who will earn Category 14 status for the next season.

Seventy five survivors are battling it out for the top 45 and ties with the best cumulative scores over two weeks will receive LPGA Tour status for 2023. Those who will end up from Nos. 21-45 will settle for Category 15 status and Category C Epson Tour status.

Those who will finish outside the top 45 but compete in all rounds of the tournament will receive Epson Tour status for 2023.

American Lauren Hartlage wrested control halfway through with a 272 total but Spain’s Luna Galmes, Germany’s Polly Mack, Belgian Manon de Roey and American Riley Rennell lurk just a stroke adrift with 273s while five others another shot back at 274s, including Canada’s Maddie Szeryk, Samantha Wagner of the US, Korean Hae Ran Ryu, Ana Belac of Slovenia and Paraguay’s Sofia Garcia.

Pagdanganan, who has hurdled her first two stints in the Q-Series, is just four strokes behind Hartlage with the power-hitting Filipina eager to get going while stressing the need to stay cool and calm in the last four rounds.

“Golf just takes a toll on you mentally and physically,” said Pagdanganan.

Ardina, meanwhile, launches her drive at the backside starting at 7:41 a.m. with Swede Louise Ridderstrom and Su Oh of Australia.