Jenny Rosales came back from a three-week rest on the LPGA Tour to fire an ace and a 68 but still found herself trailing Christina Kim by six strokes at the start of the rich State Farm Classic at The Rail Golf Course in Springfield, Illinois Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Rosales, who has had a series of withdrawals due to a recurring wrist injury, strung up nines of 36-32, highlighted by a hole-in-one on No. 16 that capped her remarkable stint on the last three holes where she went four-under par, including back-to-back birdies from No. 14. But she failed to close out the round on a stirring note as she bogeyed No. 18 for that 68.
Still, it was a great comeback by the ace Filipina shotmaker, who also had to endure an attack by bees after her round.
"Nag hole-in-one nga pero di na namin napagusapan un dahil ang ikinuwento niya eh yung pagkakagat sa kanya ng bubuyog pagkatapos. Namaga ang likod," said Rosales’ swing coach Bong Lopez.
But she is expected to resume her hunt for a second crown Friday with or without a sore back as Rosales tries to close in on Kim and improve on her seventh place standing. Fil-Am Dorothy Delasin is in joint 21st after a 69.
Kim celebrated her parents’ silver wedding anniversary by firing a 62, matching her career best, here Thursday to take the first-round lead in the $1.2 million LPGA tournament.