"I cannot believe that my long wait is over!" the 25-year-old Rosales told swing coach Bong Lopez in an overseas call moments after pulling off that stirring win in the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Eagle’s Landing Country Club in Georgia with a closing 65.
"After all the long hours of practice and hard work, finally nanalo na rin ako! I’m so happy, very, very happy," added Rosales, who broke into the LPGA ranks as a scrappy player in 2000 but whose 14-under-par 274 total over the weekend was good enough to overcome all the big names ahead of her.
She overcame Swede ace Annika Sorenstam, the world’s greatest player. Grace Park, who won the first major of the year. And Aree Song, who hoped to become the tour’s youngest winner.
"It’s great to win when all the top players are playing," she said.
Rosales, playing four threesomes ahead of the final group, actually waited for an agonizing 45 minutes before she learned that her 65 and 274 was good enough to make her a Rolex first-time winner.