Ardina 3 off in Jakarta

DOTTIE Ardina blew what had appeared to be a fiery windup with a bogey on the 18th as the top ICTSI bet settled for a 72 and lay three strokes off veteran Smitri Mehra at the start of the Jakarta Ladies Indonesia Open at the Palm Hill Golf and Country Club in Jakarta late Thursday.

Ardina, one of the 14 amateurs vying for top honors in the $200,000 ninth leg of the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, charged back from a two-over card with birdies on Nos. 14, 16 and 17 but missed the green on the last hole and flubbed a six-footer for par for a 37-35 card.

The reigning Taiwan Amateur champion and Cangolf Am winner stood three shots off Smriti, who leaned on a three-birdie binge from No. 2 to fire a 69 and post a two-shot lead over Thais Patcharachuta Kongkapan and Thidapa Suwannapura, Taiwanese Hsieh Yu-ling, American Walailak Satarak and Malaysian amateur Kelly Tan, who all had 71s.

Cyna Rodriguez, who nipped ICTSI teammate Jayvie Agojo for the Hong Kong Amateur Ladies Open crown last month, made two bogeys against a birdie for joint 10th at 73 while Agojo, the reigning Santi Cup individual winner, had a birdie-less four-over 76 and fell way behind at 36th in the 82-player field.

Over in Thailand, Princess Superal failed to sustain a solid 68 in the second round and fumbled with a two-over 74 to drop from solo second to joint fourth at 214 in the third round of the Thailand Amateur Open at the Panya Indra Golf Club.

The reigning Malaysian Juniors champion stood four shots off three-day leader Parinda Phokan, who also sputtered with a 73, enabling fellow Thai Benyapa Niphatsophon to gain a share of the lead at 210 after a fiery 66.

Patamaporn Ariyama, also of Thailand, also shot a 66 to grab solo third at 213.

Daniella Uy matched par 72 for the second straight day to pool a 218 while Lovelynn Guioguio carded a 78 for a 228, Sarah Ababa made a 77 for a 230 and Andie Unson also had a 77 for a 234.