Ardina bags title; Phl 2nd in Sirikit Cup

Dottie Ardina

Dottie Ardina used a strong start and a solid finish to fire a two-under 70 and turn back world No. 1 Hyo Joo Kim to snatch the individual crown in the 33rd Queen Sirikit Cup at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi, India Friday.

The Philippines settled for runner-up finish to South Korea, which cruised to its fifth straight victory in team play. But Ardina stunned the field with her awesome game, finishing with a 211 and nipping the fancied Hyo by one in their battle for the individual crown.

“I really wanted to win that’s why I gave it my best shot,” said Ardina, who overcame a three-stroke deficit to beat Korea’s top player. “It’s just too bad that we fell short of our title drive in team play.”

But her victory more than made up for that failed team title bid as Ardina, a many-time Junior World champion, proved her worth and showed she can beat even the best player in world.

With ICTSI teammate Chihiro Ikeda of Davao City bouncing back with a 71 after a 78 in the second round, the Philippines closed out with a second straight 141 and a 429, four shots off Korea’s 425 aggregate in the 54-hole tournament among the leading teams in the Asia-Pacific region.

Jayvie Agojo, who counted for the team with a 71 in the second round, had a 74 and didn’t count for the squad, whose campaign was sanctioned by the Women’s Golf Association of the Phils. and sponsored by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

Hyo, who routed the field last year in New Zealand and the reigning World Amateur individual champion, cracked under pressure from Ardina and hobbled with a 74 for the team’s 143 output.

“The girls played very good today. They held their ground and bucked the pressure of playing with the fancied Koreans for the third straight day,” said national team coach and ICTSI mentor Bong Lopez.

“But it was a big win and a big boost for Dottie. By beating the world No. 1, I’m sure she’ll be winning big tournaments again,” said Lopez, whose wards also posted the country’s best finish at No. 8 in the World Amateurs last year while re-staking their claim as the top ladies team in Southeast Asia.

Ardina, 17, birdied the first three holes in impressive fashion to catch up with Hyo but dropped a shot on No. 4 and made the turn at 34. She three-putted No. 11 for another bogey and dropped two shots on the long par-3 12th when she pulled her 4-iron tee shot in the bushes.

But the veteran internationalist bounced back with birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 inside five feet and took a one-shot lead over the Korean ace heading to the par-5 18th. Hyo reached the green in two but flubbed an 18-foot eagle putt while Ardina laid it up and pitched to within five feet to match her rival’s birdie for the win.(pr)