Ardina makes Shoprite money round

MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina carried the fight for the Philippines in the second round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic Saturday and ensured Filipina representation in the final round at the Seaview Bay Course in Galloway, New Jersey.

Ardina delivered a strong frontside finish to card a one-under 70 and secure her place in the 67-player cut of the 54-hole event with her four-under 138 tally.

But the rest – Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Clariss Guce – failed to join the advance and wound up tied for 87th, 95th and 125th, respectively.

Unable to sustain an opening 69, Saso limped with a 73 as she finished three strokes short of the cutoff and bombed out a week after capturing her second US Women’s Open tiara.

Pagdanganan recovered from her first-round 74 with a  69 but it wasn’t enough to meet the 139 cut line for the last 18 holes of the $1.7-million event.

US-based Guce, with a 75 that followed her initial 72, also took the exit at 147.

After going one-over at the back nine, Ardina rallied with birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 to seal her one-under for the day and third-round entry.

The ICTSI bet shares 37th and trails Korean leader Jenny Shin by six.  Shin posted a 69 for a total of 132, one up on over Albane Valenzuela.