Del Rosario hacks out thrilling win in Thai Jr World

MANILA, Philippines - Pauline del Rosario battled back from four strokes down with nine holes to go and came through with a gutsy birdie-par windup to shock Taiwanese Hsuan Chen by one and snatch the Singha Thailand Junior World Championship crown with a closing eagle-spiked 68 at the Royal Huahin Golf Course in Thailand yesterday.

It was a remarkable final round charge by Del Rosario, who trailed Chen by seven after the first round, moved within four halfway through the 72-hole championship with a 67 then closed to within two after a 72 late Saturday.

The top The Country Club bet fell by four again after the first nine holes at the back in the final round as Chen birdied Nos. 17 and 18 in impressive fashion.

But Del Rosario struck back with an eagle on a 56-degree wedge shot from 40 yards on the par-5 No. 1 and pulled to within one as Chen missed her par-putt bid from five feet and dropped another shot on the next, enabling the Filipina ace to draw level.

Chen, however, birdied the par-3 No. 3 to regain control and the duo traded pars in the next three before Del Rosario came through with a brilliant approach shot that set up a six-foot birdie putt on No. 8 to force a tie again before the Taiwanese cracked on the final hole, drove to the right side of the fairway and failed to reach the green in four.

Del Rosario also drove into the rough and hit her approach shot 40 yards short of the green. She pitched to within 15 feet which she drilled in to snatch the crown with a 68 and a three-under 285 aggregate in the premier Class A event.

It was Del Rosario’s second straight championship after an equally tough victory in last week’s Thailand Ladies Amateur Open.