Dottie Ardina survives US Open cut; Yuka Saso bows out

MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina kept her form and confidence on a competitive level as she fired a one-under 70 to easily make the cut in the weather-delayed US Women’s Open still led by Japanese Mamiko Higa at the Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina Friday (Saturday in Manila).

Higa, who surprised the stellar field with a lead-grabbing 65 Thursday, holed out with a birdie on the ninth to save a rollercoaster even par 71 for a 136 before play was stopped due to darkness following a weather delay when lightning struck a tree between 18th and 11th holes. No one was injured.

Ardina, who put in a gutsy 71 on a late start in the opening day of the LPGA Tour second major which stakes a record $1 million prize to the winner, took advantage of calm conditions early on in the second round and gunned down birdies on Nos. 13 and 15. She, however, struggled when conditions got tougher at the front, bogeying the par-3 third hole.

With a 141 aggregate, then ICTSI-backed Filipina ace is in provisional joint 17th and assured of a spot in the weekend play in a big rebound from six missed cut stints in her eight tournaments as a full-card LPGA Tour holder.

But while the former Junior World titlist and many-time US Kids champion braced for the money race, compatriot and amateur Yuka Saso bowed out of the elite tournament following a forgettable birdie-less 77.

Fighting from back-to-back opening bogeys with a late eagle feat in the first round to salvage a 71, Saso floundered with four bogeys at the back and dropped two more strokes at the front trying to make a last-ditch effort to make the cut at dusk.

The reigning Asian Games gold medalist wound up with a 148, three over the projected cut line with 45 players to complete their second round play early Saturday, including the featured flight of big guns Lexi Thompson of the US, Sung Hyun Park of Korea and Thai Ariya Jutanugarn.

The event’s other fancied names all made it through the next phase with Jennifer Korda of the US birdying two of the last four holes to shoot a 68 and trail Higa by one at 137.