“We still have to buy a t-shirt” - Philippine Olympic golfer Dottie Ardina sounds off on lack of uniforms for her team
Filipino golfer Dottie Ardina expressed frustration over the lack of uniforms at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ardina is competing in the women’s golf event at the Paris Olympics this week alongside fellow Filipina, Bianca Pagdanganan.
Ahead of the third round on Friday, August 9, Ardina's video of sticking her country’s flag onto her t-shirt went viral on the internet. The Filipino golfer criticized the officials for not providing uniforms at the prestigious games, calling it "embarrassing" while highlighting the issue.
She voiced her concerns in her native language, and below is the Google translation of her statement (via GMA News Online):
"Oh, isn't it, it's fun? I hope everyone has a uniform. We're the only ones who don't have it, we still have to buy a t-shirt. My God, what kind of Olympics is this? Shoutout to those who didn't give. Where are our uniforms? Where did it go?"
"There are only two of us here, there are only 22 athletes left, and we are still lacking. It's embarrassing. There are so many people, we're the only ones without uniforms, we're still in flakes," she added.
Dottie Ardina has been playing golf professionally since 2013. She currently plays on the Epson Tour and has recorded three professional wins in her career. She has also competed in four of the five Major championships, with her best finish being a tie for 12th place at the Women’s PGA Championship in 2021.
Her first professional win came at the 2014 Singha-SAT Thai LPGA Championship, followed by a victory at the Ballarat Icons Pro-Am in 2020. She also won the Copper Rock Championship on the Epson Tour in 2022.
How did Dottie Ardina play at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Dottie Ardina had a decent showing at the 2024 Paris Olympics women's golf event. She started her campaign with a round of 76 but quickly rebounded in the next two rounds.
In the first round, she shot two bogeys on the front nine, two bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine along with two birdies. She had another rough start in the second round, with a double bogey on the second hole, but she recovered on the back nine with two birdies to score 72. In the third round, Dottie Ardina carded four birdies, an eagle, one bogey, and a double bogey to score 69.
Ardina has also started the final round of the women’s event, and at the time of writing, she made a birdie on the third hole, placing her in 22nd place.
Meanwhile, her fellow countrywoman, Bianca Pagdanganan, is tied for ninth place at the time of writing. She shot rounds of 72, 69, and 73. Pagdanganan had a solid start to the fourth round, making three birdies and one bogey in the first six holes she played, with the round still in progress.