Late mishap drops Dottie Ardina out

MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina floundered while trying to make the most of her early start at the par-73 Creek Course, missing the Handa Vic Open cut with a late mishap in the second round of the $1.1 million event in Victoria, Southeastern Australia yesterday.

The top Filipina shotmaker, who carded a decent 71 at the adjacent Beach Course Thursday, kept her spot in the projected cut-off line at one-under with a bogey-par-birdie game from No. 5. She recovered from another bogey misfortune on No. 8 with a birdie on the 14th but made a costly double bogey on the par-5 No. 17 and failed to birdie the last hole, also a par-5, for a 75.

With a 146 aggregate, Ardina missed the top 65 plus ties cut in a faulty start to an LPGA Tour campaign as a full card holder.

She tries again next week in the Women’s Australian Open in Grange, which will feature world No. 1 Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand.

American Kim Kaufman shot a second 66 at Creek to grab the lead at 132, two ahead of Japanese Haru Nomura. Opening round leader Felicity Johnson of England limped home with a 74 at the Beach layout after a sizzling 65 at Creek.