Dottie Ardina carries a 3 stroke lead into final round of Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout.
Dottie Ardina (Philippines) continued her tremendous play on Saturday with another 5-under, 67 at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout. She moved to 10-under, 132 and will take a three-stroke lead into Sunday’s finalround. Ardina has made just one bogey over the first 36 holes and will go for her first career win on Sunday. No. 2 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, Celine Boutier (Montrouge, France), will enter the final-round in second at 7-under, 137. Charlotte Thomas (Guildford, England) carded a 4-under, 68 on Saturday to move into third place at 5-under, 139.
If Ardina wins, she would be just the second from the Philippines to win on the Symetra Tour. The only player to win was Lynda Jensen, who won once in 1985 and twice in 1988.
The final-round will begin at 7:30 a.m. and a split-tee start will be used. Play is expected to finish at approximately 2:30 p.m. and the trophy ceremony will take place on the 18th green immediately following. The final group of Ardina, Boutier and Thomas will tee at 9:20 a.m.
The cut was made at 6-over, 150 and 61 players will tee on Sunday.
Ardina, 23, started with a par save on hole one and then her only bogey of the tournament on two, but she quickly got going. She tallied birdies on four straight holes between four and seven to make the turn at 8-under. She made birdies on 13 and 16 before closing with two pars.
“It was a little more interesting than yesterday, I think I only hit ten greens so I had to save pars today with up and downs,” explained Ardina, who carded a bogey-free 67 on Friday. “I’ve been putting well and just trying to keep it
it simple.”
Ardina attempted just 25 putts on Saturday.
“I’ve made really one mistake in 36 holes, which is pretty good,” said Ardina. “If the hole locations are tucked, I’m just playing for the middle. As long as I have a birdie putt, I’m fine with it.”
Two years ago at the Four Winds Invitational, Ardina held a threestroke lead into the final round, but Brooke Henderson caught her to win. She’ll try and pick up her first win on Sunday.
“I just want to play like I did today and Friday,” said Ardina. “My putter and my iron shots have been key this week.”
She also has her dad, who doubles as her coach, back with her this week.
“He’s been my coach so it is nice to have him here with me,” said Ardina. “He really guides me and my swing so I think that helps me for Sunday.”
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BOUTIER IN POSITION FOR A THIRD WIN: Celine Boutier is playing pressure free. She won two weeks ago at the Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge and has already secured a spot on the LPGA Tour. On Sunday, she has a chance to polish off a third win and move to the top spot on the Volivk Race for the Card money list.
“Before, I felt like every shot really mattered and there is a different feel now,” said Boutier, who still badly wants to win the tournament on Sunday. “I’m definitely more relaxed when I’m on the course now and I’ve been enjoying the tournaments more.”
Boutier followed a 68 on Friday with a 69 on Saturday to get to solo second.
“Any win is welcome,” said Boutier with a wide smile. “I’m pretty hopeful for tomorrow, but anything can happen on this course.”
Boutier has won twice and has earned $98,161 this year.
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THOMAS WILL PLAY IN FINAL GROUP FOR FIRST TIME: Charlotte Thomas missed a 3-footer for birdie on her last hole, but was still happy with a 68 to move into contention.
“It was just one of my days,” said Thomas, who made six birdies. “I holed a lot of putts and when I missed greens I got up and down when I needed to. I putted really well and still left a few out there unfortunately.”
Thomas has two top 20 finishes as a rookie on the Symetra Tour and will go for her first top 10 on Sunday.
“I’m very excited to play in the last group, I’m just going to play my own game,” said Thomas. “I just want to play as I did today and put some pressure on her and see what happens.”
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YADLOCZKY FINISHES WITH 4 BIRDIES AND AN EAGLE OVER FINAL 6: Carlie Yadloczky (Casselberry, Florida) finished with a 10-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole to post a tournament-record tying 5-under, 67. She made four straight birdies between holes 13 and 16 and then made par on 17. She moved up from T39 to a tie for fourth.
She was 2-over for the tournament heading to her 13th hole of the day and finished 3-under.
“I’ve been hitting it well the last two days, but didn’t make many putts yesterday,” said Yadloczky, who worked on her putting after the round Friday. “It felt like I could hit everything today and I was hitting it close to the hole. Today was really solid.”
Yadloczky is coming off her best finish of the year last week, aT 13 at the Garden City Charity Classic. She has a chance at her first top 10 of the season on Sunday.
“I’ve been waiting for this type of play to come because I am hitting it really well,” said Yadloczky.
“Everything fell in today.”
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EUNICE KIM HOLEIN-ONE HELPS HER MAKE CUT: Yu Eun Eunice Kim (Seoul, South Korea) made her first career hole-in-one in a tournament round on Saturday and carded a 3-under, 69 to make the cut.
It was her fourth career ace, but the other three were in non-tournament rounds.
Kim arrived at the par-3 seventh hole and pulled out an 8-iron to make the ace. She had 144-yards to the cup. The ball bounced twice and went in.
“I hit a really perfect shot, it was heading straight for the hole and then it went in,” said Kim. “It went in and there were people yelling at the green so it was nice.”
Kim carded an 80 on Friday and made two bogeys on holes three and four to start her day. She rebounded with birdie on five and then the ace on seven really propelled her. She made three birdies on the back nine to jump from T105 after day one to T50.
“The hole-in-one got me pumped up,” said Kim, who moved from Korea to Australia when she was 16.
“After the ace, my shots were that much better. Because I was 8-over yesterday, I knew I had to shoot low today and I think the hole-in-one really helped me.”
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JUST MISSED THE CUT: Conway's Summar Roachell shot a 151 and missed the cut by a single stroke.
Roachell followed up her 75 on Friday with a 76 on Saturday. A double-bogey on the third hole Saturday proved fatal. She had four birdies in six bogeys during the round.