Ardina shoots 68; Liu leads with 62

MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina birdied the last three holes at the front to fire a four-under 68 but still trailed Chinese Yu Liu by six at the start of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic at Thornberry Creek course in Oneida, Wisconsin Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Ardina birdied two of the first four holes at the back where she teed off and appeared headed to another mediocre start after dropping a stroke on the first hole. But the Filipina ace, raring to end a string of missed cut stints in the world’s premier ladies circuit, found her stride at the finish, birdying the par-4 seventh, hacking a superb tee-shot to birdie the par-3 eighth and holed out with another birdie on the par-5 No. 9.

Still, she had to settle for joint 32nd as the par-72 layout took a severe beating from the elite field with 103 breaking par and the projected cut-off line at two-under.

Liu led the assault with a bogey-free 10-under 62 she spiked with an eagle on the par-5 13th which she sandwiched with birdies, snatching a one-stroke lead over American Yealimi Noh and Korean Jeong Eun Lee, who both carded 63s.

Japanese Nasa Hataoka fired a 64 to lead seven others in joint fourth while Korean Sung Hyun Park marked her comeback as the world’s No. 1 following a victory at Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Arkansas last week with a 65 with six others.

Fil-Am Clariss Guce bucked a double-bogey on No. 1 with five birdies, including three straight from No. 11, as she turned in a 69 to be in the mix in what promises to be a scoring spree in all four days.