Ardina slips with 5-over 77, drops to 38th

MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina’s bid for a stellar US Women’s Open campaign hit a big snag as she stumbled with a five-over 77 in the third round Saturday at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.

Sitting at joint 11th to start the day, Ardina struggled with a dizzying round of four birdies, six bogeys and a triple bogey on the famous 18th hole to slide down to joint 38th at six-over 222.

Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso joined Ardina in that seven-player group after shooting a second straight 75.

Saso, the 2021 winner, gunned down eagles on Nos. 2 and 6 to go with a birdie on the 10th but was stymied by a 7 on the par-4 11th and a double bogey on the 13th.

The two trail Japanese leader Nasa Hataoka (209 after a 66) by 13 shots going to the final round of the $11-million golf major.

Breathing down Hataoka’s nape is Allisen Corpuz, an American with Filipino roots, who is at 210 after a 71.

Corpuz could have actually tied or even overtaken the Japanese if not for a birdie putt on No. 17 that lipped out and a bogey on the last hole.

Ardina carded an even 36 in the first nine holes but ran into consecutive bogeys from the 13th to the 15th. She managed to gain a stroke on the iconic par-3 17th but bombed with an 8 on the par-5 18th.