LPGA-bound Ardina heads PH’s Beverly Classic bid

Dottie Ardina hopes to build momentum for her Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour campaign as she shoots for the title in the ICTSI Beverly Place Ladies Classic set to unwrap Wednesday at Beverly Place Golf Club in Mexico, Pampanga.

Ardina has had not much success in the last Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) at Pradera Verde last December, finishing a distant third.

But she expects to figure prominently in the title race this week to bolster her confidence as she prepares for the Women’s Australian Open next month.

She will be up against one of the strongest casts ever assembled in an LPGT event, led by a strong Thai contingent out to reassert its dominance.

Though Yupaporn Kawinpakorn won’t be around to defend the crown she won over Chihiro Ikeda last year, the country’s perennial regional rivals are well represented by the likes of Wannasiri Sirisampant, Saraporn Chamchoi, Mookharin Ladgratok, Saruttaya Ngam-usawan and Tiranan Yoopan.

Two-time LPGT Champion Tour winner Lee Jeong Hwa of Korea is also in the fold together with compatriot Lee Ji Hyeon, who ruled the ICTSI Camp John Hay Championship last October.