Toyota Danielle Downey Classic
Brook-Lea Country Club
Rochester, NY
July 16, 2015
First-Round News & Notes

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 16, 2015 - Dottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines) remembers watching videos in the early 2000’s of Jim McLean golf tips to learn how to play. Fast forward 14 years and Ardina has the lead at the Toyota Danielle Downey Classic after carding a 6-under 66 in the first-round at Brook-Lea Country Club on Thursday. Ardina would become just the second player from the Philippines to win on the Epson Tour. The only player to win was Lynda Jensen, who won once in 1985 and twice in 1988.

A total of 49 players finished at even-par or better and the cut line stands at 2-over heading into second-round play.

The 21-year-old, who ranks 23rd on the Volvik Race for the Card money list, was on fire with the putter. She needed just 24 putts.

“It was a good start today, I made a 35-foot birdie putt on the first hole,” said Ardina. “I made a bogey on five and then I ran off five straight birdies from the sixth through the tenth holes. My goal was 2-under on the front and 2-under on the back, I definitely wasn’t expecting a six-under.”

Ardina was 4-under at the turn and then made her fifth straight birdie on 10 and then made birdie on the 13th hole. Ardina closed with five straight pars including a save on 18.

“I did some adjustments with my putting, my stroke and I’m trying to get my speed better,” said Ardina. “Before, my putting was everywhere - push, pull - so I watched some tips on the Golf Channel and searched putting drills and it worked.”

Ardina said she watches School of Golf with former Epson Tour and LPGA Tour player Sara Brown and Martin Hall.

Her first round shouldn’t come as a surprise. She has finished inside the top 25 in three consecutive events including her career best finish, a tie for second at the Four Winds Invitational.

“I think I am more relaxed and since I changed my putting, I started playing really well,” said Ardina. “My mom is now my caddie and that really helps keep me calm and keep the pressure away.”

Ardina said part of the reason she played well today was the insider information she received from her pro-am partners on Wednesday, who are members of Brook-Lea Country Club.

“I only played once on the front side and twice on the back side so they told me where to hit the ball and where the good angles are,” said Ardina. “They really helped me a lot.”

NUMBER ONE MOLINARO IN SECOND: Giulia Molinaro (Treviso, Italy) continued her streak of now 19 consecutive rounds of even-par or better, 17 of which are under-par. She posted a 5-under 67 that included some tough par saves on 16 and 18 and is in solo second.

Her last over-par round was on April 26 at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay.

“I had a 52 degree iron into the last four holes so it could have been one more there, but I am more than happy with the 5-under,” said Molinaro, who carded four of her five birdies during a five hole stretch between holes seven and 11. “When I walked to the range I saw the scoreboard and I did think this course was scoreable so I’m not surprised with the scores.”

Molinaro has finished inside the top five in four straight events.

POWERS’ CONNECTION TO ROCHESTER: Caroline Powers (Bowling Green, Ohio) was almost born in Rochester. Her father, Francis “Buddy” Powers, was the head coach of the Rochester Institute of Technology hockey team from 1988-1989. In his only season at RIT, he led them to a 26-8-2 record and the ECAC West Championship. Buddy left RIT following the season for the job at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Caroline was born in Albany.

Buddy will be on Caroline’s bag next week when the Tour heads to Albany for the Fuccillo Kia Championship at Capital Hills.

Powers carded a 6-over 78 on Friday.

TOP COLLEGE PLAYER FROM NY GETTING USED TO PRO LIFE: Annie Park (Levittown, New York) finished her junior season at USC this year and then decided to turn professional. She has made the cut in her first three professional events and tied her career low with a 4-under 68 on Thursday to stand two shots off the lead.

Park’s round, which started on the back nine, got a jolt of momentum when she holed out for eagle from 124-yards with a soft 9-iron on the 16th hole.

“That eagle really helped me a lot,” said Park, who is going to start taking classes at USC in September to continue to pursue a degree (communications major). “My shots weren’t great, I was scrambling a lot, but my putting was good.”

Park finished in a tie for 14th at the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships this year. She won the 2013 NCAA individual championship as a freshman and was a two-time All-American.

She became the first girl to win the Nassau Boys High School Championship in 2012.

“I’m getting used to the professional life now after three or four tournaments,” said Park, who is just 20 years old. “It’s a little weird, but I am enjoying it, it is so nice to see players I grew up playing with.”

PLAYERS RAVE ABOUT EVENT SO FAR: Carleigh Silvers (Greeley, Colo.), who carded a 2-under 70, knew the crowds were coming this week but didn’t think they’d be at Brook-Lea Country Club until the weekend.

“To see that many people on a Thursday, I told my group ‘woah, that’s a lot of people’,” said Silvers. “I think 18 is such a cool finishing hole because people have room to just put their lawn chairs out and hang out. I like when we have the big crowds, it makes things so much more exciting.”

Silvers will have to keep her emotions in check. Two weeks ago, at the Tullymore Classic, she was in contention on Sunday and made a triple bogey on the final hole, citing nerves.

“I just got a little too excited and bladed my shot over the green, but to hit a good shot or make a putt and hear the crowd cheer for you really pumps you up,” said Silvers. “This tournament has been great so far.”

Julia Roth, who played in the Monday pro-am with tournament chair Mike Vadala, said that the Toyota Danielle Downey Classic has been “by far” the best event of the year.

“It’s only Thursday and there are a lot of people out here already,” said Roth, who carded a 2-over 74. “It’s always nice to have support and I know this city is like breathing golf, it is just crazy.”

Roth said her pro-am was the fastest 18 holes she’s ever played because of the company she had.

“I had so much fun out there and got lucky that I played with them.”

Before the tournament, Roth also got lucky when she was placed with a host family that has membership at Oak Hill. Roth arrived in Rochester on Saturday and played Oak Hill East on Sunday.

“It was awesome, the rough is so thick out there and it is super tough,” said Roth. “The greens were rolling like 12.5 (on the stimpmeter) and they told me that was slow.”

SHOT OF THE DAY: Mary Narzisi (Omaha, Neb.) holed out for eagle on the par-4 14th hole from 185 yards.

“I actually hit the tree with my driver and the ball dropped,” said Narzisi with a wide smile. “I had about 185 to the front of the green and I hit 4-iron and the ball landed short and rolled in. Me and Steve (caddie) looked at each other and we’re like ‘alright we just saw a five turn into a two really quickly’.”

Narzisi is in a tie for tenth at 2-under 70.

Dottie Ardina Leads Toyota Danielle Downey Classic by One

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