Ardina 7 off American leader

DOTTIE Ardina fired a one-under-par 71 in the second round to easily make the halfway cut in the Symetra Classic paced by American LPGA veteran Kendall Dye in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ardina, a many-time champion on the Philippine tour, gunned down three birdies that went with two bogeys for a 141 tally, trailing Dye by seven after the 29-year-old former University of Oklahoma standout set a tournament-record 65 for 134.

Mia Piccio and Clariss Guce weren’t as fortunate, though, after a 74 and 75 left them at 146 and out of the weekend play.

Dye is trying to get her LPGA card back and this is her most impressive performance so far this season. She had a total of nine birdies, needing just 24 putts for the round and one-putting the last five greens.

Ardina, on the other hand, is trying to make the LPGA using this tour for the second straight year. Ardina’s last bogey came on the 17th hole.

Dye changed her putting grip into something which Jordan Spieth is using, the first time in 20 years that she has gone out of the conventional.

“I was tired of insanity, doing it over and over again and not seeing the ball go in,” Dye said. “A good finish on Sunday would just show me that I have been doing the right things.” Musong R. Castillo