Del Rosario makes Q-Series despite closing 77

MANILA, Philippines – Pauline del Rosario endured another exacting challenge at the Bobcat course and tottered with a backside 41, leading to a 77 as she barely made the Q-Series at tied 25th at the close of the LPGA and Epson Tour Qualifying School Stage II in Venice, Florida Friday (Saturday, Manila time).

She was on track for a Top 5 finish after finding her way back into the groove after each stumble, birdying No. 4 after a mishap on the second hole and draining another birdie putt on the eighth after yielding a stroke on No. 7.

But she failed to bounce back after bogeying No. 10, dropping two strokes on the pa-4 14th and holing out with back-to-back bogeys.

Her closing five-over card dropped her 20 rungs from a share of fifth and her 285 total, boosted by a pair of brilliant rounds (68-67) at the Bobcat course, proved just a stroke better than the cutoff score at 286.

The Top 40 and ties thus advanced to the LPGA Q-Series on Nov. 30-Dec. 5 in Mobile, Alabama although the nine amateurs who made the grade, including low medalist and world No. 1 Ingrid Lindblad from Swede, won’t be competing in the final eliminations stage since they are not permitted to vie in the LPGA Q-Series.

But Lindblad, a Louisiana State University product, who plans to continue her collegiate career for one more year, proved she’s ripe for the big league, closing out with a 67 for a 270 and finished four strokes clear of Germany’s Alexandra Forsterling, who pooled a 274 after a 69.

Thail Pinyada Kuvanun placed third with 277, also after a 69 at Bobcat.

Del Rosario tied for fifth with a superb 67 at the Panther course Thursday and had looked forward to a trouble-free final round stint on the tougher layout where she posted a 73 in the second round.

But after a gutsy frontside showing, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker wavered in the last nine holes although she hit clutch par-saves on Nos. 15 and 16 that somewhat cushioned the impact of her faltering finish.

Meanwhile, amateur Tomita Arejola wound up at joint 122nd with a 296 after a 72 while Chanelle Avaricio ended up with a 305 for a share of 167th after a 75, both at Panther.