Rohanna wins Symetra Tour Championship
Rachel Rohanna started the the final round of the Symetra Tour Championship in first place and the Waynesburg Central graduate stayed there until the final putt was made Monday afternoon for her second career title.
Rohanna finished the rain-shortened tournament with a 54-hole total of 13-under 203, one stroke better than Yu Liu, Emma Talley and Benyapa Niphatsophon.
She won $30,000 for the first-place finish to move into 11th on the Symetra Tour Money List with $60,514. Katelyn Dambaugh was 10th with $63,023. The top 10 finishers on the money list automatically earn full-time status on the LPGA Tour, which Rohanna did two years ago.
Rain delays in Thursday’s opening round at the LPGA International, Jones course, in Daytona Beach, led to the tour championship being shortened to 54 holes, instead of 72.
The weather created a situation where Rohanna played 11 holes to complete the first round and then 18 holes of the second round on Saturday. Because of the scheduling, Rohanna didn’t play Sunday as the rest of the field completed the second round.
“It was tough,” Rohanna said of not playing Sunday. “I was playing well and I was losing momentum. Mentally, I had the whole day to think about it.
“But, it was nice to have a little break. It’s the end of a long season. It worked out fine.”
Rohanna held a two-stroke lead over the other two players of the final threesome, Yu Liu and Benyapa Niphatsophon, heading into the final day.
Rohanna applied pressure to the field attempting to catch her with birdies on the second and fifth holes. She parred the other seven holes on the front nine to go out in 2-under 34.
She made the turn with back-to-back birdies to move to 14-under for the tournament.
Rohanna then ran off five straight pars to inch closer to her second Symetra Tour title, but lost a stroke with a bogey-4 on No. 17.
Talley, who played in the next-to-last group, also bogeyed the 17th hole, but closed with a birdie and was in the clubhouse at 12-under.
Liu was keeping pace with Rohanna, trailing by one stroke for most of the final round. Liu lost an opportunity to move into a tie for the lead when she bogeyed the 17th, as well. Niphatsophon parred the hole, so Rohanna led a trio of golfers by one stroke with one hole to play.
Rohanna parred the closing par-5 for the title.
“I was most concerned with the girls in my group, but I kept an eye on the board ahead of me. I knew the girls in front of me (could shoot a low score). I knew Emma (Talley) was playing well,” said Rohanna. “It was match play, a little bit.”
Rohanna hit 9-of-14 fairways and 12-of-18 greens in regulation in the final round. She needed 28 putts, the same amount in the second round.
Rohanna said her putter was the saving club in the final round.
“I didn’t hit the ball very well today. I made 6-footer after 6-footer to save par,” explained Rohanna. “My putting was remarkable.
“It was a long stressful day.”
Rohanna knew she was a long shot to work her way into the top 10, but wanted to close out the regular season playing well.
“I really wasn’t stressed out. I was just going for a win. I just wanted to hit fairways and go at pins,” said Rohanna.
Rohanna will take the next month or so off before she heads back down to Florida after Thanksgiving to get ready for the Stage III of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament. The tournament is 90 holes of golf on Nov. 29 through Dec. 3 at the LPGA International, Jones and Hill courses, with a cut to the low 70 scores and ties after 72 holes.
“The top 20 gain full status,” explained Rohanna. “My main goal is to keep some type of status. One of the perks (of her finish) is an automatic exemption into Stage III.”
“I want lifetime LPGA status,” added Rohanna. “If there is any opportunity to play up there (the LPGA), I’m doing it.”