Ardina, Superal trail by one in Thailand

MANILA, Philippines - Dottie Ardina and amateur Princess Superal shot identical three-under 69s to trail Korean Gi Ppeumlee by one at the start of the third Thailand Singha-Sat LPGA Championship at the Rancho Charnvee Resort and Country Club in Thailand late Tuesday.

Ardina, priming up for the Symetra Tour and some legs on the LPGA circuit, shot five birdies against two bogeys while the reigning SEA Games gold medalist Superal hit three birdies in a six-hole stretch from No. 9 as they put themselves in early contention in the 72-hole tournament featuring some of the top pros and amateurs in the region.

Ppeumlee flashed top form and tamed the par-72, 6,350-yard layout with four birdies as she completed a bogey-free round of 68 to grab the early lead.

Joining Ardina and Superal in second are local bets Rungthiwa Pangjan, Junthima Gulyanamitta and Porani Chutichai.

Cyna Rodriguez, also gearing up for the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, birdied three of her last five holes to shoot a 70 and lead the two-under par scorers, who included Thais Manuschaya Zeemakorn, Saraporn Chamchoi, Thanaport Totanarungroat, Nontaya Srisawang and Panua Vitayakonkomol.

Pauline del Rosario, the reigning Junior World champion (13-14) and Superal’s teammate in the ICTSI stable, matched par 72 while Mia Piccio struggled with a four-over 76 and Chihiro Ikeda skied to a 77.

Ardina, who swept the first two legs in the inaugural ICTSI LPGT last year then clinched a card in the Symetra Tour, bounced back from an opening hole bogey with back-to-back birdies from No. 2 then added two more birdies from No. 12 but dropped a stroke on the 15th, needing to birdie the next hole to complete a 35-34 card.

Superal, coming off a joint fourth place finish in the elite The Country Club Invitational back home last week, birdied the par-5 No. 5 but dropped a shot in the next before birdying Nos. 9, 10 and 14 from close range to match Ardina’s output.