Ardina wavers Down Under

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina failed to sustain a fine start and hobbled in a grueling two-round stint Monday, carding a 75 and 73 and falling by 11 strokes behind titleholder Minjee Lee after three rounds of the Elvie Whitesides Golf Championship at the par-73 Royal Hobart Golf Club in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Ardina, who shot a two-under 71 in the first round to tie Lee and trail Aussie bet Jamie Dougan by just one, struggled on the greens in the morning round, missing a couple of short par putts and turning in a two-over 75 with Lee storming to the lead with a 68.

Back in afternoon play, the top ICTSI-The Country Club bet, coming off a title romp in Penang, Malaysia two weeks ago, settled down a bit but still couldn’t sink the putts, finishing with an even par for a 54-hole aggregate of even par 219 for solo fourth.

That was 11 shots off Lee, who added a 69 to pile an 11-under 208 for a one-stroke lead over Su Hyun Oh, who made a 69 and 67 after a 73 for a 209.

Jayvie Agojo, who matched par in the opener of the 72-hole, three-day championship, shot a one-under 72 in the second round but lost steam in afternoon play and limped with a 75. She slid to 220.

Dougan never recovered from a poor start in the second round, carding a 75 then adding a 78 to tumble from first to ninth with a 223 total.