IN one of her best outings on the US LPGA circuit in years, Dottie Ardina shot a 67 yesterday (Saturday in the US) and wheeled into second place in the penultimate round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at the Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas.

A former golf prodigy and an 11-year tour veteran, Ardina displayed impeccable putting on the front nine, gunning down birdies on hole Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 6 to go five-under at 31, added her fifth on No. 14 against bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12 over the par-71, 6,438-yard layout.

Along with her 65 in the opening round of the 54-hole event, the petite 35-year-old Paris Olympian had a 132 total, just one shot behind pacesetting South African Ashleigh Buhai, who wrested the lead after shooting a 67 after and an earlier 64.

“I think I just need to be calm and just focus on my own game,” Ardina said in the post-round interview. “I always think of playing like a practice round because there is no pressure. I’m going to try to do that tomorrow.”

Narrowly missing the cut by just one stroke was Bianca Pagdanganan, who shot a 72 yesterday after opening with a 69, the same scores and fate suffered by South Korean defending champion Haeran Ryu. 

Hoping she holds her nerve for the final round today (Sunday in the US) Ardina, 30, faces a tight battle for her first triumph on the US LPGA tour and the whopping top prize of $450,000 (roughly P25.204 million).

Lurking just one shot behind her in a four-way tie for third at 133 were Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, the 2021 champion; Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol and Pajaree Annakuram and Mexican Gaby Lopez.

Ardina was precise off the tee, hitting all 13 fairways on top of making 14 of 18 greens in regulation to complete her round with 28 putts.

Another superb round today could finally end her struggle for that elusive first championship on the LPGA tour.