Dottie Ardina rolled in a tough birdie putt from 18 feet on the final hole to nip Laos Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Chihiro Ikeda by one point and capture her first Southern Ladies golf tournament crown on a closing 49-point output at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo last Saturday.

Ardina blew her overnight two-point lead as she lost her touch but came through with two clutch putts to overcome a two-point deficit in the last three holes, including a delicate three-foot putt for birdie on No. 16, and that title-clinching birdie on the 54th hole to clinch the overall championship.

The 18-year-old Ikeda, who yielded the lead with a bogey on No. 16 and a double bogey on the 17th, looked headed for a playoff when she birdied the 18th from close range. But Ardina, who scored 52 and 51 in the first two rounds, dashed her ICTSI teammate’s hopes by sinking that long birdie putt to cap her title feat with 152 Molave points.

Ikeda closed out with 50 points for a 151 as she settled for top honors in the Championship division of the 47th staging of the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines. Former champion Anya Tanpinco had a 147 after a 46 for second while Daniella Uy also made a 46 for a 142.

Andie Unson turned in a 138 after a 46 while Shery Villecencio completed the ICTSI bets' domination with 39 points for joint sixth at 134 with Del Monte’s Lovelyn Guioguio (45) and Sarah Ababa (47) in the tournament sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, WWWExpress-DHL Worldwide Express, Hans Brumann Jeweler, DPC Yellow Pages, Karat World and Sarabia ManorHotel.

Ikeda had a four-over 76 on two birdies against three bogeys and a costly double-bogey on No. 17, where she took a penalty after punching a 7-iron from a stymied lie into an unplayable lie.

“I just stayed focused and tried to withstand the pressure,” said Ardina, who held on to a two-point lead after nine holes but fell behind with a double-bogey on No. 10 and a bogey on the next.