Rohanna moves into top 15
Robert Rohanna called Thursday’s third round of the PGA Tour Lationoamerica Q School the moving day, but the Waynesburg Central graduate did some moving in Wednesday’s second round after he shot a 3-under 69 at Estrella del Mar Golf, Condos & Beach Resort in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Rohanna moved into a tie for 12th place at 2-under 142 at the midpoint of the four-day, 72-hole qualifying tournament. He stood one stroke out of the top 10 with 36 holes remaining heading into Thursday’s round, key considering that those who finish second through 11th gain exempt status through the first half of the 2016 season.
American William Kropp is alone in first place after two rounds at 9-under 135. The winner of the tournament gains full-time status for the 2016 season. Those golfers who finish 12th through 25th earn conditional status for 2016 and are eligible for the reshuffle midway through the season.
“I mean first place would be better situated, but (Thursday) is moving day so just have to see what happens,” Rohanna said via Facebook Messenger of his standing midway through the tournament.
Rohanna was able to move up six places by turning around his scorecard with four birdies and one bogey as compared to two birdies and three bogeys in the first round. He opened on No. 1 and went out in 2-under 34. Rohanna played the back in 1-under 35.
“My distance control,” Rohanna said of the difference between the first and second round. “I judged the wind a lot better today and it gave me better looks at birdies. I had some easy birdies to start kind of got me in the groove.”
Part of the process was adjusting to the greens.
“These old Bermuda greens are brutally hard to putt with all the grain in them. You can be putting straight downhill and be into the grain somehow,” said Rohanna.
The plan for the final 36 holes and a status for another year on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica was simply keep doing what he’s doing.
The results of Thursday’s round weren’t over in time to be included in this edition. The final round is today.
“If I can shoot under par in the next two rounds I think I’ll put myself in a good spot. I don’t have to win this week, just play solid and the rest will take care of itself,” explained Rohanna. “I mean you want to beat the guys you are playing with, but you don’t necessarily have to.”
As Greene County braces for a major hit of winter this week, the weather in Mazatlan is enviably a little more conducive to golf.
“I saw that,” Rohanna said of the impending winter storm. “That stinks. Where I am now is like the most perfect temperature I’ve ever felt.”