Rohanna opens with 70 in Volvik Championship
Rachel Rohanna played her way into the LPGA Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by virtue of her finish in the Great Lakes Shootout.
Now, the Waynesburg Central graduate hopes to play her way into the weekend after shooting 2-under 70 in Thursday’s opening round. Rohanna is tied in 40th place heading into today’s second round.
Stacey Lewis and Wei-Ling Hsu are tied for the first-round lead at 7-under 65.
Rohanna totaled seven birdies, including four over a five-hole stretch in her front nine holes. However, she also had three bogeys over a five-hole span to play her front nine in 1-under 35.
“I was pretty much up and down with the scores. I was 2-over after four (holes), but brought it to 1-under after nine with four birdies (on holes 5, 6, 8 and 9) on my front,” said Rohanna.
Rohanna had her worst hole of the first round after she made the turn with a double bogey-7 on No. 4, her 13th hole, to slide back to 1-over. But, she responded with a birdie on the next hole to get back to even.
Rohanna had a birdie-birdie finish to come back in 1-under 35.
“I doubled my 13th hole, but followed up with birdie, par, par, birdie and birdie to finish at 2-under,” said Rohanna. “I had that double on the par-5, so it’s never good to have a seven on the scorecard.
Rohanna hit 8-of-14 fairways and 11-of-18 greens in regulation.
“I hit the ball great today. I think all of my birdies were inside seven feet,” said Rohanna, who needed 26 putts in the round. “(The course) is pretty narrow. I wouldn’t say it’s really scoreable, but if you’re hitting it well, then it’s not too bad.”
Rohanna was a full-time member of the LPGA Tour in 2016 and is looking to play her way back to full-time status once again.
“I’m not sure where I am right now, but I’m feeling good so looking to move up (the leaderboard), no matter what,” said Rohanna. “I always go into tournaments playing against the course. I don’t think this course sets up perfect for my eye, but I know that I’m hitting it well so I can still go low.”