Ardina misses LPGA cut by 1; Del Rosario, Bruce advance in Epson Tour

MANILA, Philippines -- Dottie Ardina staged a strong comeback with four front-nine birdies after an early stumble, but faltered down the stretch, her one-under 70 falling just one stroke short of qualifying for the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

Korean Jihee Lee fired a 68 to seize solo control at 131, taking a one-shot lead over Jennifer Kupcho, Mao Saigo, Ayaka Furue and Elizabeth Szokol. The four trail with identical 132s after carding 64, 65, 66 and 69, respectively, setting the stage for a wide-open and thrilling finale in the $1.75-million championship.

Japanese standout Chisato Iwai, winner of the recent Mexico Open, stayed in the hunt for a second crown with a 66 for a 134 total, tying five others at sixth.

Meanwhile, eight players, led by Rio Takeda, who carded a 68, assembled 135s to remain within striking distance of Lee in the 54-hole tournament.

With low scoring dominating the second round at the Seaview’s Bay Course in Galloway, players near the cutoff line needed strong finishes.

The ICTSI-backed Ardina, who opened with a 71, looked poised for a comeback after birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 8 and 9, bouncing back from a bogey on the second hole. But she struggled with her irons at the backnine, bogeying Nos. 11 and 15, both par-3s.

She also missed a birdie opportunity on the par-5 18th, which she birdied in the previous round, finishing with a 70 and a 141 total – just one stroke off the cut line.

It was a tough break for Ardina, who, despite averaging a modest 222 yards off the tee and hitting just 12 greens, compensated with solid putting, needing only 29 putts.

Still, her effort fell short as 17 players, including Sung Hyun Park (68), Hinako Shibuno (69), and Jin Young Ko (70), advanced at tied 52nd with 140s.

Also bowing out was Bianca Pagdanganan. After a triple bogey on her final hole in Day One left her with a 71, she limped to a 75 for a 146 total.

Despite an early birdie on No. 3, she couldn’t recover, carding just one birdie against six bogeys in a 38-37 effort. Her driving distance dropped to a subdued 274 yards from Friday’s 295-yard average, while she missed five fairways, reached only nine greens in regulation, and finished with 32 putts.

Meanwhile, at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Michigan, Pauline del Rosario and Sam Bruce both posted even-par 72s for the second straight day to make the cut on the number at 144.

However, they remained eight strokes behind co-leaders Yana Wilson and Sam Vodry heading into the final round at the Battle Creek Country Club.

Del Rosario bounced back from a double bogey on No. 11 with birdies on Nos. 9 and 12, while Bruce, after going four-under through 11 holes, faltered with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13 and a double bogey on the 16th.

Compatriots Clariss Guce and Tomi Arejola, however, failed to advance with the former squandering a strong opening 68 with a 77 to finish at 145, and the latter carding a 73 for a 147 total.

Wilson, a former junior standout, and Vodry posted rounds of 67 and 70, respectively, for 136 totals – two strokes clear of Isabella Fierro and five others after 36 holes in the three-day Epson Tour event.