Ardina fights back but Pagdanganan wobbles

MANILA, Philippines – Dottie Ardina bounced back with a solid frontside charge to save a one-under 71 and barely keep her shaky spot in the Top 45, but Bianca Pagdanganan staggered with a fat 80 and in danger of missing her target after five rounds of the LPGA Q-Series in Dothan, Alabama Thursday (Friday, Manila time).

Ardina fumbled with two bogeys in the last three holes at the backside of the Highland Oaks course of the Robert Trent Jones Trail after a birdie on the 12th. But she picked herself up at the front, birdying No. 2 and cashing in on the par-5 seventh to salvage a 34-37 card.

Counting her 280 in Week 1 of the exacting elims in Mobile, also in Alabama, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker pooled a 351 for a share of 42nd with six others with the top 45 and ties after the eight-round qualifiers to receive LPGA Tour status for 2023.

Pagdanganan was well within that circle at joint 17th after four rounds with a 276 spiked by a fiery fourth round 67. But she came out of the three-day break a shadow of herself, dropping three strokes right in the first five holes.

She failed to recover and stumbled with double bogeys on Nos. 9 and 12 and made two more bogeys against a lone birdie in the last six holes to limp with a 41-39, falling to 71st at 356 in a surviving field of 75.

With still three rounds left, however, one of the Tour’s longest hitters still nurture hope of pulling it through in the end in an attempt to make it three-for-three in the Q-Series.
But five strokes behind Ardina’s group, Pagdanganan will have to make her move right in Round 6 Friday and build the needed momentum to fuel a strong finish into the weekend play.

After the 144-hole elims, the top 20 and ties will earn Category 14 status for the next season while those who will end up from Nos. 21-45 will settle for Category 15 status and Category C Epson Tour status.

Those who will finish outside the top 45 but compete in all rounds of the tournament will receive Epson Tour status for 2023.

While the Filipina bets struggled, the chief contenders for top honors sizzled in a course switch with American Lauren Hartlage staying in control with a 69 for a 341 but Germany’s Aline Krauter scorched the par-72 Highland Oaks with a solid 10-under 62 to joint Thai Chanettee Wannasaen (66), Valery Plata of Colombia (67), Polly Mack, also of Germany, and Riley Rennell of the US, who matched 69s, for 342s.