Del Rosario fires 68, trails by 1

Pauline del Rosario put up another blistering start the way she did the last time out but hoped to produce a different result this week in a bid to seal a spot in Stage II of the LPGA Qualifying School in October.

Del Rosario hit two birdies against a bogey at the frontside of the Beaumont Country Club course then sizzled with three birdies in the last nine holes to shoot a 68 and trail Mexican Brenda Gonzalez by one at the start of the Babe Zaharias Open in Beaumont, Texas Tuesday.

Behind solid driving and superb iron play, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker missed just a couple of fairways and greens and set up birdie opportunities inside 15 feet, drilling the longest from 25 feet and banging the shortest from three feet.

“I had a good timing with my swing so I was able to hit a lot of fairways and greens,” said Del Rosario, who led the Natchez Classic in Missouri with an opening 65 last week but struggled in the next three days to end up tied for 21st.

But with this week’s event staking a lot for her LPGA Q-School bid, expect the 2017 LPGA of Taiwan Tour leg winner to pour it all out in an attempt to earn crucial points, this being the last stop of the 11-stage Women’s All Pro Tour.

I had a good timing with my swing so I was able to hit a lot of fairways and greens.

Del Rosario is currently at No. 2 with 1,083 points behind Jessica Porvasnik of the United States (1,361) with a slew of bidders just behind them.

The top 5 after the WAPT season will advance to the second stage of the LPGA Q-School set in Florida.

Del Rosario birdied the opening hole but yielded the stroke on No. 3 then birdied the par-5 eighth from close range but muffed another try on the next, also a par-5 hole.

But she settled down at the back. Birdying three of the first five on her way to a 35-33 and a share of second with Kaitlyn Papp and Karen Kim, both of the US.

Gonzalez spiked her 67 card with an eagle on No. 9 for a one-shot lead.

Abby Arevalo, meanwhile, gunned down two birdies but bogeyed two par-5s as she settled for a 72 for joint 15th.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PAULINE DEL ROSARIO/FB PAULINE del Rosario sizzles in the back nine to shoot a 68 in the opening round of the Babe Zaharias Open.