Ardina drops to third

MANILA, Philippines - Former leader Dottie Ardina lost her touch and focus to shoot herself in the foot with an awful eight-over par 80, tumbling down to joint third with ICTSI teammate Sarah Ababa, 10 strokes off Jessica Korda of Florida in the second round of the Future Collegians Women’s Tour Mission Inn Challenge in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida Saturday.

Three double bogeys at the backside typified Ardina’s struggle on the tough Mission Inn-El Campeon layout as the 15-year-old Filipina shotmaker, who led the field with a 73 in the first round, wound up with four more bogeys against two birdies for a 38-42 card.

That gave her a 36-hole haul of 153, 10 shots off Korda who stamped her class with an eagle-aided three-under 69 for a 143 to open a whopping eight-stroke lead over Michelle Meier of Michigan heading into the final round of the 54-hole tournament.

Meier shot a 75 for a 151.

Ababa hardly improved from a 77 with a 76 as she caught up with the faltering Ardina at 153 while Chihiro Ikeda turned in a 76 for a 155.