Mar 18, 2016 By The 1 min read

Rachel Rohanna came out strong but the last hole on each 9 cost her a total of 3 strokes on her way to a 2-under 70 in the first round of the LPGA JTBC Founders Cup in Phoenix on Thursday.

That puts the Waynesburg Central graduate in a tie for 52nd place in the four-day event. The low 70 scores and all ties after today’s second round will advance to the weekend.

Rohanna was sizzling on the first eight holes, recording a birdie 3 on Nos. 1, 7 and 8, and added another birdie on the par-5 No. 5 to put her at 4-under. A double-bogey 6 on No. 9 knocked her down 2 strokes as she ended the front with a 34.

Rohanna went birdie, bogey, par, birdie to open the back 9 before stringing together four straight pars. She ended her day with a bogey 5 on No. 18 to wrap up a 36 on the back 9.

Rohanna was in the second-to-last group. Her playing partners were fellow rookie Bertine Strauss and Yueer Cindy Feng.