Pauline seals 7-stroke romp in Splendido
TAGAYTAY – Pauline del Rosario re-staked her claim as the country’s hottest player, fending off an early scare from Chihiro Ikeda and rolling to another seven-stroke victory over Cyna Rodriguez despite a 76 in the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Classic at Taal Splendido Golf Club here yesterday. Her overnight eight-shot lead cut into half with a two-over card coupled with Ikeda’s two-under round after 10 holes, Del Rosario pounced on her rival’s poor play on the par-5 11th where she gained two shots despite a doublebogey mishap. It was cruise control from there as Del Rosario matched her opening 38 for that four-over finish and a 54-hole total of 217. Ikeda, who nipped Thai Wannasiri Sirisampant to snap a long title spell at Forest Hills two weeks ago, signed up with a 9 on No. 11 after blowing her chance to further close in. She never recovered her bearing and bogeyed two of the last seven and limped with a 77, dropping to fifth instead at 226. The victory, worth another P150,000, was the fourth for the rookie pro, who scored a breakthrough at Orchard and ruled the Baguio stop of the circuit sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.