Ardina fires a 69, takes 2-shot lead

Dottie Ardina picked up from where she left off in the ICTSI Ladies Professional Golf Tour, shooting a three-under-par 69 yesterday for a two-stroke lead over longshot Lovelyn Guioguio after the opening round of the Valley Golf Challenge at the Executive course in Antipolo.

Ardina, the winner of the fledging tour’s first two legs last year before going to the United States to pursue an LPGA dream, birdied three of her last five holes to seal the start that she wanted.

Guioguio, meanwhile, stole the thunder from the other big guns, shooting four of her six birdies on the back nine for a 71, one clear of amateur Sofia Chabon who is alone in third.

Cyna Rodriguez, a four-time Tour winner this year, struggled to a 75 while rookie pro Mia Piccio shot a 76 to be seven shots behind.

Amolkan Phalajivin, the Thai who ruled the Splendido leg in Tagaytay over Rodriguez last month, shot a 73 to be solidly in it, with Korean amateur Min Jeong-hwang shooting a 74 like Jayvie Agojo, Lucy Landicho and amateur Sam Bruce.

Rains the past few days left the tight layout soggy, forcing the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments to play “lift, clean and replace.”

“It was very challenging out there because of the slow greens and tightness of the course,” Ardina said.

The well-built Rodriguez had just one birdie in a 37-38 card in what could go down as her worst opening effort in the circuit backed by Nike, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Guioguio, meanwhile, caught fire after playing her first five holes at two over, gunning down two straight birdiess from the sixth hole before playing her final nine at 34.