NEWS
Rohanna sets scoring record on first day of Women's Amateur stroke play
By Associated Press
Published on
A touch of luck and a ton of confidence from a 25-foot birdie putt to on the first hole were all Rachel Rohanna needed to beat the heat.
Rohanna, an all-Big Ten player at Ohio State, set a U.S. Womenâs Amateur scoring record with a 7-under 65 during a muggy first round of stroke play on Monday during which the heat index approached triple digits.
âIf it didnât hit that hole, it probably would have been a good 5 feet by,â said the Waynesburg, Pa., resident who added eight more birdies to go with two bogeys in the morning round. âI was getting lucky on a few shots and I was playing for the center of the green I played well, but Iâd say that it was a lot of luck.â
Brooke Pancake, of Chattanooga, Tenn., finished with a 68 as conditions eased slightly with some cloud cover and a slight breeze in the afternoon.
Pancake, who just played in triple-digit temperatures in the womenâs collegiate championships in Dahlonega, Ga., last week, struck the middle of the green on No. 11 Monday -- a trouble spot for her during practice -- giving her a boost after the turn.
âThe back side had some crucial holes where you can throw up some high scores,â Pancake said. âBut I just stayed in the moment and picked a target and swung - and if I hit it well, great, and if I didnât, then just go to the next shot.â
Recently crowned U.S. Girls Junior champion Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla., and Jaclyn Sweeney, a senior at Arizona State from Andover, Mass., were at 3 under.
Madison Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla., younger sister of LPGA Tour player Morgan Pressel, shot 4-over 76.
Kellee Booth (1998), Natalie Gulbis (1999) and Amanda Blumenherst (2008) previously shared the 18-hole womenâs amateur mark of 66.
A total of 64 of 156 players will advance to match play after a second day of stroke play Tuesday in this U.S. Golf Association event, concluding with a 36-hole final on Sunday.