Dottie Ardina and Clariss Guce slowed down with 72 and 73, respectively, but Bianca Pagdanganan finally broke par with a 70 as they stayed in the race after four rounds of the LPGA Q-Series at Pinehurst No. 6 in North Carolina Saturday.
Ardina hit three birdies but stumbled with four bogeys for a 37-35 card at the par-71 layout and remained tied at 43rd, this time along with Guce, who failed to sustain her third round 68 with a two-over 73.
Starting at the backside, Guce actually birdied No. 17 but bogeyed the next two and after a run of pars at the front, she holed out with another bogey on the ninth to drop from a previous joint 28th position.
Pagdanganan, meanwhile, made her move with a two-birdie, one-bogey card and though she stood down at tied 64th, the Stage I low medalist wheeled back into contention for a spot in the last two rounds of the grueling two, 72-hole final phase of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament.
The 98 bidders take a break and will resume their hunt for LPGA cards on Wednesday at the start of the last 72 holes at Pinehurst No. 9.
The Top 80 plus ties after six rounds will advance to the last 36 holes where the top 45 and ties will receive Category 14 membership on the LPGA Tour Priority List for 2020. Those who won’t make it will settle for Symetra Tour spots.
Chinese Muni He moved on top halfway through the Q-Series with a 275 total after 69, now two shots ahead of Lauren Coughlin, Maia Schecter and Emma Talley of the US, who all pooled 277s, after a 68, 70 and 72, respectively.