Ardina blows birdie start, limps with 78

MANILA, Philippines — A stab at spotlight came too brief for Dottie Ardina, who birdied the opening hole then succumbed to Royal Troon’s exacting challenge so typical in a links course and hobbled with a 78 at the start of the British Women’s Open in Scotland Thursday.

American Amy Olson, chasing her first LPGA Tour crown, survived the ordeal, bucking a bogey on No. 3 with five birdies to seize control of the elite field with a four-under 67, three strokes up on Germany’s Sophia Popov and Marina Alex, also of the US.

Ten others, including local ace Catriona Matthew and Canadian Alena Sharp, matched par 71s to get into the early mix in the $4.5-million event, the first major championship of the world’s premier circuit.

Danielle Kang of the US, coming off a sweep of the Ohio events three weeks ago to vault into No. 2 in the world ranking, had sort of figured out the layout rather late but her stirring eagle-birdie-birdie finish still kept her below the projected cutoff line of four-over at five-over 76.

That’s how tough and baffling Royal Troon was in a day when club adjustments ranged from 3- to 4 clubs while battling the wind and when a number of good shots ended up in bad spots, and mishits found their way into good positions.

Ardina birdied the straightforward No. 1 then parred the next four to find herself the bewildered leader in the early going as the early-starting big guns struggled in windy conditions on a course that requires self-control and patience.

The Canlubang pro, who gained a ticket in this opening major of the LPGA Tour with a strong finish in the Marathon LPGA Classic in Ohio two weeks ago, cashed in on a solid drive on the par-4 No. 1 then hit a solid approach shot for birdie from close range to force an early share of the lead with two others.

But as Germans Olivia Cowan and Caroline Masson blew their one-under par cards, Ardina held on with a run of pars, staying at the helm by her lonesome in a fleeting moment for the diminutive but talented Filipina shotmaker in a field teeming with talent.

But after five holes, she lost her way.

in the humps and bumps of the course, bogeying the par-5 No. 6 and dropping two strokes each on the next two. She did birdie the ninth to make the turn at 39, still a decent score but bogeyed four of the last nine to tumble to joint 107th in a 144-player starting field.

She hopes to rebound big in the second round although she would need more than guts and a big fighting heart to barge into the weekend play with a late 3:17 p.m. start.