Ardina, del Rosario card 69s, stay close at Indonesian Open

MANILA, Philippines -- Dottie Ardina and Pauline del Rosario kicked off their campaigns with impressive performances, both carding three-under 69s to tie for ninth place after 18 holes of the Indonesian Women’s Open in Jakarta on Thursday.

The $300,000 event, held at the Damai Indah Golf BSD Course, is the first of two new Southeast Asian stops added to the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Tour (KLPGT).

Ardina, starting on No. 10, delivered a steady 35-34 round, posting four birdies against a bogey. Del Rosario, also launching her drive on the 10th, kept her card clean, crafting a bogey-free 34-35 to match her ICTSI teammate.

Local players Cho Jeongmin and Kim Sojeong took command of the leaderboard, each firing six-under 66s to share the top spot. Cho highlighted her round with three birdies on each nine, while Kim showcased a stretch of three consecutive birdies starting on the eighth.

Both remained error-free, setting an early benchmark in the 54-hole championship.

Trailing by one stroke, Park Sujin2 of Korea and Thai ace PK Kongkraphan turned in matching 67s with the former tallying seven birdies against two bogeys, and the latter posting eight birdies but offsetting them with three bogeys, leaving her tied for third place.

Four others – Thais Budsabakorn Sukapan and Jaravee Boonchant, India’s Hitaashee Bakshi, and Malaysia’s Ng Yu Xuan – matched four-under 68s, creating a tightly packed leaderboard heading into the second round.

With the top contenders separated by only two strokes, the tournament promises a spirited battle for the title.

Ardina opened her round with a birdie on the 10th but gave it back on the 14th. She recovered with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, adding another on the par-5 No. 5 to cap her day.

Del Rosario, on the other hand, missed a couple of birdie chances but converted on the 18th, third and fifth holes, narrowly missing another on the long par-5 No. 8.

Meanwhile, Daniella Uy parred the last two holes at the front after resuming her round, finishing with a 73 for a share of 55th, while Princess Superal fumbled with a bogey on the 18th, winding up with a 74 for joint 69th.

Chanelle Avaricio finished with a 76 after two birdies were overshadowed by six bogeys, leaving her tied for 87th.

Co-hosted by the Indonesia Golf Association and KLPGT, the event features120 players, including the top 50 qualifiers from the Dream Tour. The ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters is set to take place from Feb. 12-14 at The Country Club in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, expanding the field to 132 participants.

Sanctioned by the LPGA of Taiwan, these events mark a significant step forward in developing and showcasing the region’s top talents. The KLPGT, in collaboration with the Asian Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF) and the Korean Women’s Professional Golf Association, continues its mission to discover and nurture the next generation of Asia-Pacific’s most promising women golfers.