Del Rosario claims top 10 finish after 69

Pauline del Rosario  —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Pauline del Rosario closed out with a three-under-par 69 in Taiwan on Friday to finish in an eighth-place tie in the Party Golfers Ladies Open ruled for the second straight year by home bet Ling-Jie Chen at Hsinchu County’s Lily Golf and Country Club.

“I’m just happy I was able to finish strong,” Del Rosario, the spearhead of a 14-strong contingent of the ICTSI Ladies PGT, said after a 35-34 effort to finish four shots off the pace. “I wanted to make birdies but didn’t push too hard.”

Chen fired a 70 to nip Thailand’s Pakin Kawinpakorn, who shot a 67, by a stroke as the Taiwanese ace tallied a 54-hole 205 after failing to break 70 for the first time this week. She had earlier rounds of 68 and 67.

Florence Bisera was the next best-placed Filipino with a 216 tally after a 70, tied with nine others for 27th spot.

It was not the ideal finish that Del Rosario wanted, but it was a respectable one since she came into the P9-million tournament trying out a new swing.

“Honestly, I was nervous,” Del Rosario said. “We made a few changes to my swing, so I wasn’t entirely comfortable with it yet. But I was happy I was able to perform and score well.”

Mikha Fortuna, who opened the first round with a 69, closed out with a 73 to finish behind Bisera at 217, even as Chanelle Avaricio dropped to 50th at 221 with a 76.