CYNA Rodriguez took a step closer to scoring a breakthrough
win in the Laura Diaz Future Collegians World Tour circuit, matching par 72 in
the second round Saturday and posting a five-stroke lead over Colombia’s Susana
Banavides and Maria Torres of Puerto Rico in the Mission Inn Open at Howey-in-the-Hills,
Florida.
Rodriguez, a first year FCWT player with two top three
finishes so far, bucked poor putting with a superb iron game as she fired two
birdies to negate back-to-back bogeys from No. 6. The World Amateurs and Asian
Games veteran made pars at the back en route to nines of 37-35 at the par-72 Las
Colinas layout.
With a 144 total, Rodriguez, 16, stretched her overnight
two-stroke lead over ICTSI team Mia Piccio to five going into the final round of
the 54-hole tournament for girls’ 13-18 division.
"She hit a lot of good shots to set up many birdie chances.
But her putting was a bit off," said coach Bong Lopez.
Piccio, winner of the World Woods Rolling Oaks Open last
October, lost her touch coming home as she dropped five strokes in the last
seven holes for a six-over 78. She tumbled down from second to sixth with a 152,
eight shots adrift.
Banavides took the challenger’s role with a 74 as she tied
Torres at 149. Torres matched Rodriguez’s second round output to move up from
fourth to joint second.
Christine Meier of the United States also carded a 72 to grab
solo fourth with a 150 while Catherine O’Donnell, also of the US, stood a shot
farther back at 151 after a 74.
Over in Palm Harbor, Florida, Dottie Ardina shot 73 and 71 to
share seventh place with Doris Chen (70-74) of Florida and Haley Wilson (74-70)
of Alabama at 144 after two rounds of the Mizuno Junior tournament being
conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Innisbrook Resort and
Golf Club.
Victoria Kiser of Florida struggled with a second round 73 after a sizzling
66 opener for a 139 as she held on to a one-stroke lead over Lindsey Solberg
(66-140) of Wisconsin and two clear off Lindsay Duncan (71) and Evan Jensen
(70).
