J-Ro puts Phl flag on golfing map

MANILA, Philippines - Winning her first LPGA crown will forever be Jennifer Rosales’ greatest moment. In fact, it took some time before she could ever get a grasp of her feat.

“It has to be my first win in the LPGA. It took about a few days for it to sink in to your system. I remember when I won I kept asking myself did I just win an LPGA tournament?” J-Ro recalled.

But for the five-time Philippine Ladies Open champion, the sweetest was she won the World Cup in 2008 with Dorothy Delasin.

“For me, my sweetest victory is when we won the World Cup in 2008. That put the Philippines in the map,” she said.

With her victories in the NCAA individual competition in 1998 and in the LPGA in 2004 and 2005, Rosales has actually placed the country on the golfing map but it was not until they won the World Cup that she felt the Philippines has indeed reached a different a world-class level.

“It was an unbelievable win. Every time I look at the leaderboard I don’t see our names, all I see is the Philippine flag,” she said. “That’s why it was so special and sweet.”

She added: “Every time I play an LPGA event I’m always proud to represent the Philippines. It always gives me goose bumps seeing my flag. I just want to put the Philippines in a golfing map.”

Rosales said the future looks bright for Phl golf even as she hopes that her feats will help inspire the young ones in their quest for recognition.

“My goal is to inspire and motivate younger golfers to follow in my footsteps and to become future LPGA champs. I see a lot of potentials and talents. All they need is to practice hard and patience and it will get them there,” said Rosales, who holds the J-Ro Cup for the jungolfers whenever she’s on a break from the LPGA Tour.

Slowed down by injury the last two years, Rosales is trying to regain her winning form and reach that competitive level again in a bid to gain another crack at a major championship.