Golf: Dottie Ardina rules Phil. Amateur Match Play Closed Championships

Dottie Ardina chalked up her third win of the year by repulsing Jayvie Agojo in an explosive duel in the Philippine Amateur Match Play Closed Championships, Sunday at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite. Ardina, the ICTSI top seed from start to finish, won the first three holes and then held on in the back nine to clinch a 4 & 3 victory against teammate Agojo in the tournament, which served as the third leg of the National Golf Association of the Philippines circuit. Agojo couldn’t match Ardina’s fine game at the par-72 Jack Nicklaus signature layout. Even when the former had opportunities to cut down the lead, the latter had her A-game going, making some miracle par-saves including the back-breaker at the seventh. The 18-year-old Ardina blasted out of No. 7’s bunker guarding the green to within two feet into the cup to halve that hole with Agojo. “I guess I was hot early on. I was lucky to get those saves,” said Ardina, who captured the DHL Amateur and RSGC AmBank Open titles in March. Also, the success at Sherwood gives Ardina more confidence heading into her title defense in the Queen Sirikit Cup in Singapore in 10 days. In the men’s division, John Kier Abdon zoomed to a 2-up lead in six holes and never looked, beating Andres Saldana, 4 & 3. Sherwood golf manager Raymond Bunquin flashed his familiarity with the tough layout and came away with a 4 & 2 victory over Jingy Tuason to pocket the mid-amateur plum. Lino Magpantay, playing out of Summit Point, rebounded from a faltering finish by outsteadying Kinitchi Kitamura on the second playoff hole to bag the seniors diadem. – AMD, GMA News