UNITED KINGDOM — Dottie Ardina recovered from an early bogey and a midway double-bogey to salvage an even-par 73 and stay in contention entering Friday’s second round of the ISPS Handa World Invitational.
Playing at Galgorm Castle Golf Course, one of the two featured courses in the meet, the 29-year-old Filipina put behind her a bogey in the fourth with a birdie on Hole No. 8.
She would later stumble with a double bogey on the 10th but it failed to dampen her spirits after birdieing the 15th and the 17th for joint 32nd.
Bianca Pagdanganan wasn’t as lucky and is now teetering with the cut-line following a 74. The 25-year-old birdied the second hole but encountered rough sailing immediately after bogeying the third, fifth and eighth.
Showing enough resolve, Pagdanganan fired a birdie in the next hole only to suffer bogey in the 13th and 16. She closed with a birdie to be on T62.
It was a tight leaderboard at the end of the first round with four players in a share of the lead.
Switzerland’s Kim Metraux, England’s Gabriella Cowley, Sweden’s Ellinor Sudow and Australia’s Karis Davidson all fired rounds of 69 (-4) at Castlerock to be out in front.
It was a steady day for Swiss star Metraux, who only had one dropped shot on her card and rolled in five birdies.
“Just overall a really solid day,” Metraux said.
“I started off well with a birdie on one and that kind of got me going through the round.”
“I managed to not really miss many greens. The only one I missed was when I made bogey on 15. I was a bit unfortunate to make a bogey on a reachable par-five, but overall I was just really solid from tee to green and managed to drop a few putts, which was really nice.
“Links is definitely something different than what we play year long, but we did play Scottish two weeks ago. That kind was good preparation I guess for today and most of the tournaments we play on LET, although not links courses, we’ve had quite a windy season.
“Galgorm is very different from here. It’s like two completely different worlds. A lot softer course with thick rough, so it’s definitely a different challenge, but if I keep hitting fairways and greens we’ll be in good shape.”
England’s Cowley got off to a solid start making birdies on the third, eighth, 10th and 11th holes.
The 27-year-old dropped a shot on the 13th but soon bounced back with birdies on 15 and 17, but unfortunately found trouble on the last and ended with a bogey for her round of four-under.
Cowley explained: “For my birdie on 10, it was playing quite tough into the wind. I hit a really good drive and hit 5-iron and it was just perfect; I holed a good putt. I made a few birdies today which was nice.
“Being on a links course it was windy this afternoon, so I was just trying to manage the ball flight and the kind of shots that we’re trying to hit. I think the course was playing tough, but there were obviously a few par-fives that we can reach which was good for us.
“I like Galgorm. I played there for the last few years, so looking forward to tomorrow. My plan is similar to today. Trust what I’m doing and hit the shots that I need to hit and play good golf.
“Obviously completely different course, completely different style. It’s not so much managing how much it runs out and how much the wind will affect it. It’s about picking a good number and committing to it.”
LPGA Tour rookie Sudow was part of the morning wave and made the most of the better conditions at Castlerock.
The Swede began with a birdie at the first and made another at the fifth before dropping a shot on the sixth.
