By Waylon Galvez
Filipino golfer Dottie Ardina shot a five-over 76 as she struggled in the third round while Germany’s Sophia Popov remained on top of the British Women’s Open Saturday at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland.
After a solid second round, Ardina went ice cold, bogeying three of the first four holes – the first two sandwiched a birdie on 2. Though she made par in the next five, Ardina made back-to-back bogeys on 10 and 11.
Overall, she had seven bogeys, including 13 and 18, and just two birdies – the other one on 17 for a three-day aggregate of 14-over 227, dropping her to joint 64th.
Popov, on the other hand, was incredible with her 67 punctuated with an eagle on the par 5 4 that gave her a three-shot lead on Australia’s Minjee Lee and Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura, who both shot a 69.
Popov’s bogey free round also included birdies on 12 and 17 to put herself in position of winning her first LPGA, Symetra and the Ladies European tours title in the $4.5 million event.
Popov now has a three-day total of 209, while Lee and Suwannapura are tied for second at 212, while Germany’s Caroline Masson is in joint fourth to sixth at 214 with Americans Lindsey Weaver and Austin Ernst.
Meantime, Fil-Am Demi Runas fired a 67 for a joint ninth at 140 – five strokes behind new leader Fatima Cano of Spain after the second round Saturday in the IOC Championship at Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Beaumont, California.
Runas shot a 73 in the opening round of the Symetra Tour, while Cano followed up her 70 with a 65 for a 135, a one-stroke lead over Julie Aime of France, who carded a second 68 for a 136 going to the final round of the 54-hole tournament.
