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Rohanna set to play in America’s Golf Cup

By Jim Downey jdowney@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read

The average golfer has likely played in a best ball (4-ball) event somewhere along the line, but it’s unlikely the weekend warrior has played with a $600,000 purse on the line.

Robert Rohanna will being doing just that beginning with his 9:14 a.m. tee time (local time) today in the Bridgestone America’s Golf Club held at Olivos Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

An invitation-only event, the field is comprised of 36 national teams playing over four days with no cut, meaning each team is guaranteed prize money. First place is worth $60,000.

The host county Argentina, site of the introduction of golf to the 2016 Summer Olympics, has six teams in the event. The United States will be represented by five teams, including Rohanna and playing partner Daniel Mazziotta. Colombia (3), Canada (2, including one for the PGA TOUR Canada), Chile (2), Mexico (2), Paraguay (2), Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, England, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe will also be represented in the inaugural event.

Mazziotta is No. 10 on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica’s Order of Merit with earnings of $37,873. Rohanna is 15th with $31,297. The Americans play Colombians David Vanegas and Jose Manuel Garrido in the first round.

“He’s from southwest Florida. We have known each other for years,” Rohanna said of his playing partner via Facebook Messenger.

The best ball format has all four golfers (between the two teams) play their own golf ball throughout the round and the low score of the twosome is the team’s score.

“The tournament is going to be fun. We have teammates and it’s best ball every day for four days,” explained Rohanna. “This type (of two-ball) is usually a section pro event, like a Tri-State PGA event in Pennsylvania, or a scratch amateur-pro event. The whole atmosphere doesn’t even feel like an event. It’s laid back. I’m hoping we both play well.”

Laid back enough for a hot dog and beer at the turn?

“I think we actually could if we wanted to,” Rohanna said with a chuckle. “It’s hard to find a good hot dog down here, only chorizo sausage, which is fantastic.”

Rohanna is hoping to grab a nice share of the guaranteed purse.

“It’s like $1,000 for last place, but it cost a lot to get down here so we are striving for better than that,” said Rohanna.

The home crowd will be focused on national golf hero Angel Cabrera and his son Federico. Other notable golfers in the field are Paraguay’s Carlos Franco, who is paired with Esteban Isasi, and Chilean Benjamin Alvarado.

The Olivos Golf Club is a par-71, 6,777-yard layout which was chosen by Golf Digest as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world.

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