Ardina ousts Reynolds, advances in US Girls Jrs

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina matched Katelyn Reynolds’ routine par on No. 18 to clinch a 1-up victory and advance to the second round of the match play event of the US Girls’ Junior Championship at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago Wednesday.

Ardina, who struggled in the 36-hole stroke play elims and wound up 38th, built a two-hole cushion over her 27th-ranked rival from California with a par and a birdie on Nos. 10 and 11 then bucked Reynolds’ birdie on No. 17 with a par on the last hole to reach the Last 32 stage.

But ICTSI teammates Andie Unson and Daniella Uy bowed to their respective higher-ranked rivals with the former dropping a 5 and 3 setback to No. 6 Emma Talley of Kentucky and the latter absorbing a 7 and 6 defeat at the hands of No. 8 Gabriella Then, also of California and reigning AJGA Tournament of Champions winner.

Ardina took the opening hole with a par but Reynolds forced an all-square-game on the second and went 1-up with a par on No. 3 which the Queen Sirikit Cup individual gold medal winner bogeyed.

But the Filipina ace took No. 7 to draw level then went up with that par-birdie stint at the backside of the tough layout. Reynolds threatened with a birdie on No. 13 but Ardina countered with her own birdie on No. 14.

She will try to avenge Unson’s loss as she faces Talley in the second round Thursday.