Dottie Ardina carded a second straight one-over 73 to grab a one-stroke lead over Anya Tanpinco as erstwhile leader Cyna Rodriguez wavered with a 77 in the second round of the Malaysian Women’s Open in Langkawi, Malaysia yesterday.
Ardina failed to sustain a one-under card after nine holes and needed to birdie the final hole to salvage a 35-38 round at the Datai Bay Golf Club as she moved closer to a third international victory this year.
With a 146, the 13-year-old Ardina, spearhead of the ICTSI golf squad, posted a one-shot lead over Tanpinco, who turned in the day’s best round of one-under 71 for a 147.
Rodriguez fumbled with a 77 after a 72 for a 149.
Ardina and Rodriguez’s combined 36-hole output also propelled the Philippines to the team championship. The RP golfers pooled a 289 to beat Thailand by 18 shots.
Thai ace Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, who humbled Ardina and company in last year’s Philippine Ladies Amateur Open at The Country Club, dropped farther behind at 150 after a second three-over 75.
Hathaikorn, another Thai bet, hobbled with an 83 and a 160.
The event serves as part of the RP team’s buildup for the Junior World Championship in San Diego in July where Ardina and Rodriguez are gunning for title-retention bids in their respective age-divisions. — end it//thanks