Ardina clips Little, cops Amateur title

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina cut the tall Kendra Little down to size, using a strong start and a stronger finish to smother her American rival, 5 and 4, in the 36-hole finals and pocket the PNGA (Pacific Northwest Golf Association) Women’s Amateur Championship crown at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Oregon Friday.

The fourth seeded Ardina took the first three holes with a birdie-par-par stint to seize control, won Nos. 25, 26 and 29 to build a five-hole cushion then matched Little’s bogey-par-par effort in the next three holes to clinch the match and the championship.

Little, the No. 10 seed, actually moved within one hole thrice, the last on their second trip to the par-3 No. 2 which she birdied. But the top ICTSI golf scholar had answer for each Little comeback, taking Nos. 21 and 22 with a par and a birdie to go three-up again en route to the victory.

Ardina actually struggled on the putting surface, missing a number of birdie opportunities but made up for this with her superb fairway wood shots over the long, par-72 layout that put her in good stead against a rival a foot taller than her.

“My putting didn’t work as I expected, but my fairway wood saved the day. She’s (Kendra Little) very strong but not very consistent. I can see that she was under pressure,” said Ardina.

It was Ardina’s third triumph this year, including the FCWT Plantation Inn Open and the national amateur back home and it will surely boost her confidence heading into the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships at Torrey Pines in San Diego this coming week.

A three-time Junior World champion and five-time US Kids winner, Ardina also won the Western Junior crown, the Indonesian Ladies Amateur Open, the Hong Kong Ladies Am Open, the Malaysian Ladies Am Open and the DHL Amateur Open the last three years.

Her latest feat also kept the Philippines’ domination of the annual event, which Cyna Rodriguez ruled over ICTSI teammate Anya Tanpinco last year. Rodriguez, however, bowed out in the quarterfinals while Tanpinco was booted out in the second round of match play.

But the 15-year-old Ardina made sure to keep the title for Team ICTSI-RP as she stamped her class over Little with a superb all-around game.

On her way to the finals, Ardina scuttled low amateur Sara Ovadia with a 2&1 decision in the semis after nipping compatriot Chihiro Ikeda in a tight, pressure-packed duel after 19 holes.

The victory also made up for her loss to American in the finals of the WWGA (Women’s Western Golf Association) Amateur Championship two weeks ago.