Hole-in-one sparks Rohanna’s move into top 10
Rachel Rohanna has never scored a hole-in-one in her career despite the countless rounds of golf she’s played.
That was, however, until Friday’s second round of the Kia Classic at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
The Waynesburg Central graduate aced her 12th hole when her sand wedge on No. 3, a par-3 playing 93 yards, spun back into the hole. The hole-in-one, coupled with five birdies, led to a 7-under 29 on her back nine for a 6-under 66 in the second round.
Rohanna enters today’s third round at 5-under 139, jumping up the leaderboard at the completion of her round from a tie in 56th place into the top 10. South Korean Jenny Shin holds the second-round lead at 10-under 134.
Rohanna was flirting with the cut after she played her front nine in 1-over 37 with a bogey on her second hole and eight pars.
She moved to even par for the second round with a birdie on No. 2, her 11th hole.
“I made an up-and-down to save par on No. 1 (her 10th hole). I was playing pretty good and was getting no birdies,” said Rohanna. “Then, I had a tough 20-footer for birdie on my 11th hole and put it in.”
Rohanna then stepped up to the short par-3.
“It was really short. The moved the tee way up and the pin was in the front,” explained Rohanna. “I hit a smooth sand wedge. It hit six feet past the hole and rolled back in.”
Rohanna, with a chuckle, added, “I called it when it hit the green. It was kinda crazy. It’s my first hole-in-one, ever.”
Rohanna’s was the second ace of the round scored on the short par-3.
“It was perfect for a hole-in-one. The hole funnels (into the pin), kinda like No. 18 on a Putt-Putt course,” laughed Rohanna. “I saw a hole-in-one gets an Acer tablet. The other girl got hers. What am I, chopped liver?”
“No one saw it. No TV cameras,” Rohanna added.
The ace sparked Rohanna’s round as she finished her back nine with four birdies in the last six holes to come back in 7-under 29.
“I shot 29 once in a qualifier when I was a junior,” said Rohanna. “I definitely had it going.
“The hole-in-one got my adrenaline going. There were a couple shots I had to step back on.”
Until the run on her back nine, Rohanna was a bit frustrated.
“I was playing really well, but got no putts to fall,” said Rohanna. “Actually, I thought I hit the ball better last week (where she missed the cut).”
Rohanna had a later tee time in Thursday’s first round and then came back with an early morning tee time in the second round, as she prefers.
“I played well (on the back nine with a 1-under 35) Thursday. It was better to come right back at it,” said Rohanna. “I like the afternoon-morning tee times.”
Rohanna is looking for the momentum of her last 27 holes to carry forward into the weekend.
“I think if I can start making some putts, these greens are pretty tough, and keep shots in play, I feel good for the weekend,” said Rohanna.聽