MANILA, Philippines — American Lauren Coughlin spoiled Dottie Ardina’s first clear crack at a Symetra Tour crown, turning in a bogey-free 66 to overcome a three-stroke deficit and edge the ace Filipina shotmaker by one in the PHC Classic at the Brown Deer Park Golf Course in Grendale, Wisconsin Sunday.
Ardina also fired a solid two-under 70 but flubbed a number of makeable birdie chances that stymied her bid for a breakthrough win on the circuit after close stabs at glory at the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic and the Symetra Classic last May and at the Donald Ross Classic last month.
“I was hitting good but I couldn’t hit the putts like I did in the first day,” said Ardina, whose 15-under 201 total was her fourth runner-up effort in the season. “She (Coughlin) was having a really good day with no bogeys, chipping in. It was just her day. I’m really trying hard to get that win and always trying my best.”
Her $9,781 prize hiked her winnings to $69.453 and firmed up her hold of the top spot in the Volvik Race for next year’s LPGA Tour card and her second place finish this week also earned her a ticket to next month’s fifth and final LPGA Tour major, the Evian Championship in France.
Coughlin totaled 200 and took the top $15,000 purse.
The former University of Virginia standout pulled to within one early on with back-to-back birdies from No. 2 and after Ardina matched her birdie on the fifth, the American knocked down another pair of birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 to wrest control.
They traded birdies on the par-5 No. 13 and Coughlin matched Ardina’s pars the rest of the way to clinch the one-shot victory.
Mia Piccio floundered with a 74 and tumbled to joint 26th at 212 while Fil-Am Clariss Guce shot a 70 and tied for 29th at 213.