Four Winds Invitational
Blackthorn Golf Club
South Bend, Indiana
June 20, 2015
Saturday Second-Round News & Notes

SOUTH BEND, Ind., June 20, 2015 - Dottie Ardina (Laguna, Philippines) wants golf to be popular one day in the Philippines. Jennifer Rosales has held the Philippines flag high on the LPGA Tour with two career wins and now Ardina is trying to win on the Epson Tour. She carded a career best 7-under 65 to move to 10-under 134. She takes a three shot lead over 17-year-old Brooke Henderson, who also carded a 7-under 65 on Saturday.

Ardina, who has three career wins in the Philippines and one win on the Asian Tour, closed with four birdies over her final five holes.

“My iron shots and my putting were really good today,” said Ardina, who played in the second to last group of the day. “I had a solid 7-under round, which is the best of my professional career.”

Ardina also had a strong front nine with three straight birdies starting on the second hole. The 21-year-old, who turned professional two years ago, has 11 birdies and just one bogey through 36 holes.

“My mom told me on the last four or five holes to just play my game and don’t think about being near the lead because I don’t want to put pressure on myself,” said Ardina. “Luckily, I was able to make three birdies on the last three holes.”

Ardina has two career top 10 finishes on the Epson Tour including a tie for ninth at the 2015 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. She will aim for her first win on Sunday.

“It would mean a lot to me (to win),” said Ardina. “I really want my dad, who taught me to play, to be here today, but I’m really thankful to my mom for caddying for me.”

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.

“Jennifer Rosales is the only golfer on the LPGA Tour from the Philippines and I want to be there with her,” said Ardina. “I want to play at the highest stage of professional golf and I want golf to be famous one day in the Philippines. I hope that young people in the Philippines try to play golf.”

BROOKE HENDERSON CARDS 7-UNDER: Brooke Henderson’s (Smith Falls, Ontario) whirlwind week is showing no signs of slowing down. This past Sunday, she capped the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with a 2-under 70 to finish in fifth place. On Monday, she hosted a pro-am event at her home course to raise money for charity and then on Tuesday and Wednesday she played in a Canadian Women’s Tour event. She arrived in South Bend on Thursday and after a pedestrian even-par first round, Henderson dashed past the competition with a 7-under 65 to move into second place.

The 17-year-old, who started on the back nine, made birdie on hole 11 and then reeled off three straight birdies on 14, 15 and 16 to make the turn at 4-under for the tournament. Henderson picked up where she left off on her back nine with birdies on holes two and three. After a slip up bogey on hole seven, she closed with back-to-back birdies on eight and nine.

“It was a lot of fun, my ball striking today was a lot better than yesterday and that was a big key,” said
Henderson. “I didn’t give myself a lot of long birdie putts and the short ones I was able to make, which is awesome. My putter has been a little off and on the last couple weeks and today it was definitely on.”

“I missed a short par putt on seven that I would like back, but it gave me motivation to finish birdie-birdie.”

Henderson has two top 10 finishes and five top 25 finishes on the LPGA Tour in seven events played. She has earned $317,470, the equivalent of 20th on the LPGA money list.

“My game is feeling pretty good, but I know I have a lot of work to do and I’m far from where I want to be,” said Henderson. “Rounds like this are really confidence boosters. There is a lot of golf left and a lot of great players up there on the leaderboard. I know I’ll have to post another really good round tomorrow to come away with the win.”

Henderson is playing this week as a non-member on a sponsor invite so her money earned on the Epson Tour does not count towards the Volvik Race for the Card money list. However, she still wants a victory.

“I would love a win on the Epson Tour, I think it would be a great thing to put on the resume,” said Henderson. “This would be a great event to have my name on the trophy.”

Henderson has had little time to rest over the last two weeks. This past Monday, the sisters helped raise money for Lenark County Support Services and Doefstrong, a charity in support of Brooke’s friend Neil who suffered a serious spinal cord injury.

“It has been very, very busy, but a lot of good has come out of it. I think we raised a lot of money on Monday,” said Henderson. “Having the Golf Canada event at home was strange, but a neat experience. Coming off the T5 finish in the second major was a lot of fun and I definitely learned a lot about myself.”

She will aim for her third win as a professional on Sunday. She has two wins as a professional on the Suncoast Ladies Series mini tour. Henderson won her first professional golf tournament at age 14 on the Canadian Women’s Tour.

“I believe my parents have done an amazing job of raising both my sister and I,” said Henderson. “My dad has been my coach, my manager, my caddie and my everything. I’m very grateful for everything my mom and dad have done for me.”

ARIMURA HOPES TO REBOUND FROM FIREKEEPERS FINAL ROUND: Chie Arimura (Kumamoto, Japan) had a two shot lead at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek two weeks ago, but carded a final-round 76 to free fall to a tie for 11th.

On Saturday, Arimura posted a 6-under 66 to move from T27 to third.

“I played in the final group two weeks ago and I didn’t play well,” said Arimura. “It was still a good experience for me and I’m going to try and focus on what I learned.”

Arimura has plenty of experience winning internationally, just not in the United States. She is a 13-time winner on the LPGA of Japan (JLPGA).

She will aim for her first win in the United States on Sunday. She seven top 10 finishes on the LPGA Tour.

ROHANNA POSTS CAREER LOW 65: Through the first 19 events of Rachel Rohanna’s career, she earned just over $19,000. This season, she has made just over $32,000 in eight events. Rohanna continued her strong play on Saturday as she posted a career low 7-under 65 to move from T73 to a tie for fourth.

“Not too many people would be dissapointed with a 65,” said Rohanna, who ranks fifth on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. “I had a lot of close shots today. On my first hole I made a 12-footer for birdie and that was one of my longer putts for birdie. I stuck a lot within five and ten feet.”

Rohanna’s sister, Emily, who plays college golf at Youngstown State was on the bag for round one. Today, her dad, Tom, was on the bag.

“He just missed being on the bag,” joked Rohanna.

Tom was on the bag for her win at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay.

Dottie Ardina Leads by Three; Brooke Henderson in 2nd

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