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Ardina joins four others on top;Most Pinoy bets clinging to hope

07/17/2008

SAN DIEGO — Dottie Ardina joined a four-player logjam for the girls 13-14 years lead while Miggy Yee, AR Ramos, Lou Daniella Uy and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas stayed within striking distance in an auspicious start Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) for Philippine bets in the Callaway Junior World golf championships in various courses here.

The 14-year-old Ardina exploded with three birdies on her first six holes of the Oak Glen course of Sycuan Resort but struggled with her putting from there, shot a two-under-par 70 and found a lot of company at the top.

She was tied for the lead with Suchaya of Thailand, Alina Ching of Hawaii and Airi Sugimoto of Japan who gave themselves a crack at the heavily-favored ICTSI scholar at the David Leadbetter Academy in Florida with their own 70s.

Yee and Ramos carded a 70 and 71, respectively, at Lake San Marcos to stay close on the heels of Indian Virat Badwhar (68) in the boys 11-12 age-group.

Uy provided the surprise of the day when her 73 placed the lanky 11-year-old just two shots behind Ciera Min of Hawaii and Californian Garbiella Then also at Lake San Marcos.

Olivarez-Ilas, daughter of former national tennis player Eva who placed third in the same last year, out herself in contention again with a 60, four adrift of American Karah Sanford in the girls six-under division.

John Kier Abdon, Chihiro Ikeda, Bino dela Paz, Ruperto Saragoza, Bianca Pagdanganan, Ryan Monsalve and Kristine Torralba were the best-placed RP bets of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines contingent backed by Philippine Airlines, Diamond Motors, Samsung, ICTSI and Crestlink in the other divisions.

Abdon was running 14th four shots behind the boys 15-17 years leaders after a 74 at Torrey Pineds south, Ikeda had a 75 at Carlton Oaks was tied for 18th in girls 15-17 years play, Dela Paz (74) shared 21st spot in boys 13-14, Saragoza’s 63 put him in 15th place and Pagdanganan’s 64 left her sharing 20th in 9-10 years action while Ryan (21st) and Torralba (14th) scored 66 and 63, respectively.