Jenny endures hurting wrist for 67, trails by 3

Defying her doctor’s advice to rest — and by saying a little prayer — Jenny Rosales bucked a nagging wrist injury to fire one of her finest starts on the LPGA Tour — a five-under par 67 that put her in second place with Swede ace Annika Sorenstam and Korean bet Mi Yung Kim — three shots off leader Kim Saiki — in the first round of the Safeway Golf Classic at the Superstition Mountain Golf Course in Arizona Friday. Saiki had eight-under 64.

"Despite playing with a bandaged right wrist Jenny played very well today," said Rosales’ swing coach Bong Lopez of her ward who had therapy everyday on the ailing wrist that forced her to withdraw in the second round of last week’s Welch’s Fry Championship, the kickoff leg of the LPGA tour.

Rosales, a PLDT Global endorser hardpressed to snap a four-year long title drought on the LPGA circuit, gunned down six birdies, including a 15-footer on No. 4 that somehow hinted at the coming of an explosive day for the 25-year-old Filipina shotmaker.

"She was actually adviced by her doctors to rest but she decided to play," added Lopez.

That defiance plus her sheer determination and fighting spirit, carried her through.

At least for this round.

Rosales putted from the fringe, just some eight feet away for another birdie on No. 7 but gave back the stroke just as quickly when she three-putted No. 9 from 25 feet.

Then came her test on No. 11.

Dumping her drive into the fairway bunker, Rosales blasted stiffly, the ball sailing up in the air and landing to within a foot of the target. Birdie.

Lopez later said Rosales actually lost her grip of her club then sat beside the bunker grimacing in pain while holding her wrist.

"Kinabahan ako sa No. 11 kasi nabitawan nya yung club after hitting her shot tapos umupo sa tabi ng bunker at iniinda yung wrist nya. Sabi nya, may lumagutok daw at sumakit bigla. Akala nya na hindi na sya makakatuloy. But she said a little prayer and asked God to help her finish the round kasi nga she was playing really well," added Lopez.

She went on to the next hole, hit her drive into the middle of the fairway, launched a superb approach shot to within two feet for another birdie.

A fired-up Rosales then closed her round with back-to-back birdies from No. 14 for that 67.

"Actually, she had good chances on Nos. 1, 3, 8 and 18th lahat inside 10 feet pero hindi pumasok," added Lopez.

However, for Rosales, it will be a wait-and-see game for her. "It all depends on how she feels sa warm-up. If it hurts we will not play kasi baka lang lumala," said Lopez. "But we will continue to pray hard. Sana pagdasal nyo kami."