Ardina finishes strong with solid 65; Chen clinches crown in 5-hole playoff

Dottie Ardina of the Philippines plays her shot from the 18th tee during the first round of the Dana Open at the Highland Meadows Golf Club on July 18, 2024 in Sylvania, Ohio.

Raj Mehta / Getty Images / AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Dottie Ardina closed out her Epson Tour season with a blistering start and a solid finish, firing a bogey-free 65 to secure a share of 24th place in the Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, California, on Sunday (Monday Manila time).

Despite her strong final-round performance, the ICTSI-backed Ardina’s 12-under-par 276 total was only enough to lift her to 45th in the season-long Race for the Card, falling short of LPGA qualification.

The spotlight, however, belonged to Anne Chen, who delivered a thrilling finale to the season-ending tournament. The former Duke standout fired a final-round 65 to tie Sophia Schubert, who carded a 66, at 22-under-par 266, forcing a playoff.

Chen, who had led after the second round, battled nerves and fatigue in a grueling five-hole playoff. After the pair traded pars in the first two extra holes, Chen salvaged par on the third playoff hole with a clutch long-range putt following a poor bunker shot.

Both players birdied the par-5 13th in the fourth extra hole — Chen reaching the green in two and Schubert getting up-and-down to match. The duel came to an end on the fifth playoff hole when Schubert missed the green and failed to save par, allowing Chen to seal the win with a routine par.

The win marked Chen’s first career Epson Tour victory and, more significantly, secured her LPGA Tour card for the 2026 season. Her late-season surge lifted her to 11th in the Race for the Card, joining the Top 15 who earned LPGA status.

“It’s a crazy feeling. A very crazy feeling. I can’t believe it. I do not think it has sunk in yet,” said Chen, visibly emotional after her breakthrough win. “I am sure that it is something everyone says, but it really hasn’t. Definitely going to think about it a lot tonight.”

Among other Filipinas, Clariss Guce, a two-time Epson Tour winner, finished the season at No. 37 after shooting a 69 for a tie for 38th at 279.

Sam Bruce, meanwhile, posted a 73 to close with a 285 and a share of 58th.

Yana Wilson, who surged into contention after a standout third round, faltered under final-round pressure and settled for a tie for ninth at 272. Still, the rookie capped a successful debut season by securing an LPGA card with a second-place finish in the Race for the Card, behind top-ranked Melanie Green.