Ardina bags ALPG ClubCar series plum

MANILA, Philippines – Dottie Ardina went Down Under early in the season aiming to toughen up as part of her Symetra Tour buildup and at the same time secure spots in Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) Tour’s flagship tournaments — the Handa Vic Open and the Handa Women’s Australian Open.

She did, finishing tied for 20th in the Vic Open and settling for joint 48th in the tougher, richer Aussie Open.

Plus more.

She also became the first international player to capture the ALPG Tour ClubCar Series crown following a remarkable campaign spiked by a victory in the Ballarat Icons Pro-Am of the six-leg circuit.

Ardina, who will split her time competing on the Symetra Tour and some events in the LPGA Tour this year, had to rebound from back-to-back playoff setbacks before finally clinching the elusive win in Ballarat where she edged Scot Kylie Henry and Xi Yu Lin of China, also in sudden death last February.

She kicked off her campaign in the ALPG Qualifying Tournament at Windaroo Lakes GC where she tied for third, netting her a berth in the Handa Vic Open.

The ICTSI-backed Canlubang pro actually missed qualifying for the Australian Open after losing in a playoff to Taiwan’s Pei Yun Chien for the third and final qualifying spot but gained the coveted berth just the same following her Ballarat feat.

The former five-time US Kids champ gained her first points in the ClubCar series after sharing seventh place in the Findex Yamba Pro-am then headed to the Aoyuan International Moss Vale Pro-am where she would lose another playoff battle, this time to Belgian Manon De Roey.

From Moss Vale, the tour headed to Ballarat Golf Club for the final pro-am of the early 2020 season where Ardina finally broke her playoff spell, defeating Henry and Xi to take home the winner’s purse of $4,500 and a valuable 500 points in the ClubCar Series points table.

Ardina received a check worth $6,500 for taking out the 2020 ALPG Tour ClubCar Series with 978.33 points. Frenchwoman Celine Herbin finished second with 660.83 points while Scot Gemma Dryburgh pooled 598.33 points for third.