Cyna tops Riviera Classic by 6 shots
Cyna Rodriguez fired an eagleaided 69 and won the ICTSI Riviera Ladies Classic by six over Sarah Ababa yesterday at Riviera’s Couples Course in Silang, Cavite.
Rodriguez pounced on Ababa’s bogey start and bested her rival’s birdie on the par-5 No. 2 with an eagle, threatening to blow the field away after taking a two-stroke lead with a 69 Thursday. Though Ababa gained a two-shot swing on No. 4 with another birdie coupled with Rodriguez’s bogey to move within two again, the reigning back-to-back Order of Merit champion birdied No. 7 and 9 for a 33 and pulled six shots away as Ababa bogeyed Nos. 6 and 9 and made the turn at 37.
It was cruise control for Rodriguez at the back, making up for her bogey mishaps on Nos. 11 and 13 with back-toback birdies to post her second threeunder card, thus giving her a 54-hole aggregate of eight-under 208 worth R100,000.
It was actually Rodriguez’s first win in the season after winning half of the eight titles disputed in last year’s second edition of the country’s first ladies pro circuit sponsored by ICTSI. It also atoned for her playoff loss to amateur ace Princess Superal in the ICTSI Wack Wack Invitational last month.
Rodriguez struggled to finish sixth in the kickoff leg at the ICTSI Ladies Open won by Korean Hwang Ye-nah and finished tied for seventh at ICTSI Splendido topped by Thai Meechai Wichanee.
Ababa also carded a second 73 and finished way behind at 214 and took R70,000 for her second runner-up effort after finishing tied with Thai Walailak Satarak at ICTSI Splendido.
Lovelynn Guioguio strung up three straight birdies from No. 6 but could only match Ababa’s 73 as she placed third with a 222.