Cyna turns shaky start to decisive finish

MANILA, Philippines - Peerless Cyna Rodriguez turned the final round of the ICTSI Wack Wack Ladies Philippine Golf Tour into another victory romp as she coasted to a six-shot romp over Mia Piccio with a closing even par 72 at Wack Wack’s West course yesterday.

Rodriguez bucked a shaky start with a clutch birdie on the sixth then pounced on Piccio’s frontside struggle to post another wire-to-wire triumph the way she did at ICTSI Eagle Ridge LPGT two weeks ago.

Although she fell two strokes shy of her runaway eight-shot win over Jayvie Agojo, the former Philippine Ladies Open champion succeeded in nailing her second victory in as many starts as a pro in the inaugural circuit sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc.

“It feels good to win again. I had a shaky start and a bit nervous because I know Mia can come back. But I settled down after I birdied the sixth,” said Rodriguez, who pocketed another P100,000 and thus matched absentee Dottie Ardina’s back-to-back wins in the first two legs at The Country Club and in Canlubang.

The in-form Rodriguez, who swept two titles in California and Long Beach before she turned pro, posted the only under-par total of five-under 211 in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed Nike Golf, Pacsports, Gatorade, Sharp and Custom Clubmakers.

Piccio, four behind after 36 holes, fumbled with a 40 after nine holes, eagled No. 10 but still ended up with a 74 for a 217. She took home P70,000.

“I’m satisfied with my first tournament in the country as a pro,” said Piccio, who came into the event oozing with confidence following an impressive joint third place finish in the LPGA Q-School in California two weeks ago.

“I tried to rally in the first few holes but Cyna played well,” added Piccio, who actually started out on the wrong foot – with a bogey on the first.

Although Rodriguez dropped strokes on Nos. 2 and 3, Piccio failed to cash in and even bogeyed Nos. 5, 6 and 9, enabling Rodriguez to pull away with a birdie on the sixth.

Seven adrift with nine to play, Piccio eagled the par-5 10th but Rodriguez dashed whatever hopes her rival had with a birdie then went on to hit one more birdie against a bogey for a 35 and a 72.

Piccio hinted at coming back for the circuit’s final leg at Baguio on Oct. 29-31, together with Ardina, who also made it to the LPGA Q-School stage but opted to stay in the US to honor a previous commitment.

Amateur Princess Superal and Chihiro Ikeda both came through with one-under 71s to finish third and fourth with 220 and 221, respectively, with Ikeda taking the third place prize worth P45,000 and Superal pocketing another low amateur honors.

Agojo wound up fifth with a 225 after a 74 while another amateur Felicia Medalla also carded a 74 for a 227 for sixth followed by Apple Fudolin (72-228), Barsy Leonen (78-237), amateur Harmie Constantino (77-238) and Sarah Ababa  (79-239) in that order.