Ardina, Uy, Unson reach US Girls' Jrs match play

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina groped for her putting form and hobbled with a 76 but safely made it to the match play phase of the US Girls’ Junior Championship at the Olympia Fields Country Club.

Ardina, the Queen Sirikit individual gold medal winner, flubbed at least four birdie putts inside five feet and wound up without a birdie against four bogeys for that four-over output.

Counting his first round 75, the top ICTSI bet ended up tied at 33rd in the 36-hole stroke play elims topped by Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, who had a 140 after a 70.

Daniella Uy and Andie Unson also reached the knockout stage with identical 153s after a 76 and a 72, respectively, barely making the cut at 154.

Unson, the reigning Philippine Ladies Amateur Champion, battled back from an awful 81 in the first day to advance, mixing one birdie with a bogey for that 72.

The 14-year-old Uy, on the other hand, strung up nines of 38-38 for that 76 and made her first appearance in the event which features some of the world’s rising stars.

American Casie Cathrea matched par 144 after a 70 to clinch the No. 2 seed while Eimi Koga of Hawaii made a 69 to finish third with a 145.