Cyna bolsters bid with second 71; Dottie struggles

MANILA, Philippines – Cyna Rodriguez went on a birdie-binge on her homeward trip at the front and shot a second straight one-under 71, moving from joint 35th to a share of 18th after two rounds of the final LPGA Qualifying School paced by Simin Feng of China and Korean Julie Yang at the LPGA International Course in Florida Thursday.

Rodriguez bucked a shaky backside start of 37 with three birdies in the first six holes at the front, including back-to-back from No. 5, but missed improving her ranking more with a bogey on the par-5 No. 8 at the Hills course.

The 34-37 card matched the three-time ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion’s output at the Jones layout Wednesday and gave Rodriguez a 142 aggregate heading to the last three days of the grueling elims which stakes 20 berths to next year’s LPGA Tour.

But while Rodriguez bolstered her chances for the coveted card, compatriot Dottie Ardina tumbled down from joint 60th to a share of 95th with a four-over 76, also at the Hills course, marred by three bogeys without a birdie to show at the back.

With a 148 total, Ardina will need to bounce back strong in the last three rounds to at least get a crack at the Tour proper where the next 25 players will earn conditional status.

Feng, who sizzled with a 65 at the Jones course, overcame a double-bogey mishap on the par-5 No. 15 and bogey on the last hole with five birdies, carding a 70 for a 135 for a share of the lead with Yang, who also slowed down with a 69 at Jones after opening with a 66 at the Hills layout.

Erstwhile co-leader Christine Song of the US dropped to solo third with a 136 after a 71 at the Hills while Cydney Clanton, also of the US, shot a 70 for solo fourth at 137.

Rodriguez, who ended up joint 17th in the first stage of the three-stage qualifier and barely made it to the final leg by finishing at 71st after Stage 2, bogeyed No. 10 but quickly recovered the shot with a short-birdie putt on the next. But after a slew of pars, including two up-and-down, she dropped off the leaderboard when she bogeyed No. 18.