Philippine Teen Dottie Ardina Wins 108th PNGA Women’s Amateur
Molalla, Ore. (July 10, 2009) – Fifteen year-old Philippine National Team member Dottie Ardina, who now resides in Sun City, Cali., defeated Kendra Little from Eugene, Ore. 5 and 4 in the final match to win the 108th PNGA Women’s Amateur Championship, held at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore.
With comfortable temperatures and mild conditions at Arrowhead, this 36-hole match was a test of shot making, putting and mental toughness. Ardina jumped to an early 3-up lead by winning the opening three holes with a birdie at the par-5 to start and then pars on the par-3 and short par-4. From that point on in the morning match it was an up-and-down, back-and forth contest with one of the opponents winning 8 of the next 15 holes but all the while Ardina never saw her lead slip below a 1-up margin. Little two-putted for birdie at the par-5 18th hole to win the hole and finish the opening 18 holes at just one down to Ardina.
In the afternoon Ardina began to pull away, winning the 19th, 21st, 22nd, 25th and 26th holes to advance to a 4-up lead despite Little’s wins at the 20th and 24th. After halving the 27th and 28th holes with pars, Ardina all but put the match away with a hole winning par at the 29th to go 5-up with just 7 holes to play. After halving the 30th and 31st holes to go dormie 5, Ardina hit her tee shot to fifteen feet on the 167 yard, par-3 32nd hole and drained the putt for a 5 and 4 victory.
Ardina played in the championship on a Presidential Invitation from the PNGA.
The PNGA Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur are being held concurrently at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore.
In all, 75 golfers competed in this year’s Championship, held at Arrowhead Golf Club in Molalla, Ore. 40 contestants competed in the Women’s Amateur Championship, and 35 competed in the Mid-Amateur Championship.
The Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play qualifying to determine the 32 contestants who will advance to match play. All matches are single-elimination and contested over 18 holes, with exception to the 36-hole Championship final match.
