Rosales falters in stretch, 8 adrift

Jennifer Rosales turned a dream-like start into a nightmarish finish as she dropped five strokes on the last three holes, including a fat 7 on the 17th, and limped home with a three-over par 74 at the start of the US Women’s Open in North Plains, Oregon Thursday (Friday in Manila).

That was eight shots adrift of Mhairi McKay’s five-under par 66 at the challenging par-71 Pumpkin Ridge Witch Hollow Course which in one stretch Rosales tamed with her world-class shotmaking coming into fore early until the ghost of her putting woes visited her again on her homeward trip.

Worse, she failed to recover from the bunker on the par-4 17th with the same grace and precision as she did in the past and found herself missing the green twice and then missing a four-foot putt. She ended up with a triple bogey 7.

Gerald Rosales, in a text message to The STAR, said he could not, nor Jennifer, remember the last time his sister scored that worse on a par-4 hole, a mishap that soured up what could’ve have been an explosive start for the ace Filipino shotmaker.

"She dumped her approach shot into the bunker sa 17th. Pero nabola-bola at napunta sa love grass. Next shot na-over uli, then nag-chip to within four feet. Sablay," said Gerald.

"Talagang sayang, four-under na siya going to No. 13, tapos nag-bogey-bogey," added Gerald, referring to Jennifer’s stirring start of six birdies against a couple of bogeys that, for a while, shoved her to the top of the leaderboard.

But back-to-back missed-green bogeys from No. 13 somehow hinted at a harrowing windup for the 24-year-old five-time RP Ladies Open champion as Rosales three-putted No. 16. She flubbed a short par-saving putt on the par-5 No. 18.

From among the leaders to joint 45th, Rosales hopes to erase the stigma of that faltering finish as she sets out again in the second round Friday (Saturday in Manila) in the company of American Leta Lindey and Australian Shain Waugh at the backside of the 6,509-yard layout.

McKay shot that 66 under sunny but blustery day as she posted a three-shot lead over defending champion Juli Inkster, Donna Andrews and Jamie Hullet, who all carded two-under par 69s.

Fancied Annika Sorenstam struggled with a 72 while Korean ace Se Ri Pak skied early with a 77, together with former No. 1 Karrie Webb who had an atrocious 78. Fil-Am Dorothy Delasin likewise struggled with a 79 and needed to come up with a great second round to survive the cut.