Dottie fires closing 69 but settles for second

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina ran out of holes and fell short of her comeback bid, settling for runner-up honors with a 69 in the Malaysian Amateur Open Golf Championship won by Aretha Pan Herang at the A’Famosa Golf Club’s Rocky Palm Course in Temaka, Malaysia Sunday.

Ardina’s closing three-under card at the tough par-72 layout with thick roughs was the day’s best output but the top ICTSI-backed bet could only clinch second as Herang completed a wire-to-wire triumph with a 54-total of 210 despite a 73.

Ardina finished two strokes adrift at 212 but impressed a lot with her solid round spiked by five birdies, including a couple of 40 footers on Nos. 5 and 12, against two missed green bogeys. She made just 26 putts and hit all but one fairway.

Jayvie Agojo, who trailed Herang by one in the first round and dropped three shots behind after 36 holes, struggled with her putting, fumbling with two three-putt bogeys for a 73 and tumbling to third with a 213.

Chihiro Ikeda never got going and could only match par for a 220 while ICTSI teammates Andie Unson and Sunshine Baraquiel finished tied at 221 after a 71 and 77 and Sarah Ababa made a second straight 76 for a 226.

In the boys’ side, Jobim Carlos fired a one-under 71 and wound up sixth with a 285, nine strokes behind Daniel Bringolf of Australia, who had a 276 after a 71 for a four-shot win over Taiwan’s Chieh Po Lee, who skied to a 77 for a 280.