Rohanna opens Q School with 2-over 74
Rachel Rohanna recovered from a couple double bogeys on the front nine Wednesday to finish with a 2-over 74 in the first round of the LPGA/Symetra Tour Q School in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The Waynesburg Central graduate sits in a tie for 72nd place in the 90-hole tournament. The field of 156 is pared down to the low 75 (and ties) after Saturday’s fourth round.
Amateur Katelyn Dambaugh and Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras share the first-round lead at 67.
After opening with a pair of pars, Rohanna took a double bogey-5 on No. 3.
“I hit in the bunker on No. 3 and completely decelerated on my downswing. I chunked it out. I was a really stupid double (bogey),” explained Rohanna.
She settled down with a par-par-birdie run, but fell into trouble again with bogey on No. 7 and a double bogey-6 on No. 8.
“I hit my tee shot dead left into the hazard,” said Rohanna of her bad start on the hole.
Rohanna closed her front with a birdie to go out in 3-over 39.
She made the turn with a birdie to get to 2-over for the round. Rohanna closed the back with a birdie, bogey and six pars to come back in 1-under 35.
Though not satisfied with her score, Rohanna was generally pleased with the way she played.
“I had really good opportunities for birdie. I putted well. I just didn’t make them,” said Rohanna.
Rohanna said there’s a lot of golf to be played and she wasn’t allowing a double bogey or two weigh her down early in the round and the tournament.
“There’s 90 holes of golf. One hole is about one percent of the total tournament,” said Rohanna.
Rohanna continued, saying, “I need to stay patient. That the whole idea of Q School. It’s who can stay patient.”
Her final stretch of holes, notably the last 11, has Rohanna with a positive attitude as she looks to a week of golf.
“I need to keep how I played today going. I played better than 2-over. I need to focus on hitting fairways and greens. I feel my putter is getting better. If I can get my driver straightened out,” said Rohanna, adding, “If I didn’t have to hit (her driver), I wouldn’t. I’m close to hitting it perfect.”