MANILA, Philippines — Needing a strong finish to secure a Top 10 spot, Pauline del Rosario rallied impressively at the Party Golfers Ladies Open, firing birdies on the last two holes to close with a 69 and earn a share of eighth place.
Ling-Jie Chen won the tournament for the second consecutive year at Hsinchu County's Lily Golf and Country Club in Taiwan.
Del Rosario, who was initially stalled by a double bogey on the par-4 ninth hole, fought back resiliently, drilling birdies on Nos. 10 and 14 to recover from a bogey on the 12th, and holing out with back-to-back birdies for a 35-34 and a 54-hole total of seven-under 209.
"I wanted to make birdies but didn't push too hard," said del Rosario, who earned NT$100,000 for her effort. "I'm happy I was able to finish strong."
Her eighth-place finish was just short of her sixth-place showing at the same event last year but underscored her steady improvement as she prepares for the Epson Tour next year.
Chen, meanwhile, defended her crown with a gritty finish, fending off Thai challenger Pakin Kawinpakorn. Tied with Chen at 10-under after birdying the 16th, Kawinpakorn's rally fell short as Chen responded with a precise approach on the 17th, setting up a birdie putt that reclaimed her the lead.
She parred the final hole to seal her victory with a 70, posted a 54-hole total of 205 and earned NT$900,000.
Unlike her four-stroke triumph last year, this win was a nail-biter, making the back-to-back triumph even sweeter for Chen.
Kawinpakorn's final-round 67 left her one stroke shy at 206, while five players, including former leader PK Kongkraphan, finished tied for third at 208. Kongkraphan surged early with a 34 on the front nine but was derailed by a double bogey on the 10th , finishing with a 72 to tie compatriots Green Poruangrong and Wannasiri Sirisampant, who carded 70 and 71, respectively, and Tsai-Ching Tseng, who carded a 71 and matched their eight-under total.
Starting the day five strokes behind Chen and Nook Sukapan of Thailand, del Rosario looked poised for a breakout round. She played steadily through the opening stretch, parring five consecutive holes before birdying the par-5 sixth and the par-3 eighth. However, a double bogey on the ninth hindered her charge, forcing her to regroup and play catch-up.
Undeterred, del Rosario birdied the 10th and 14th, although a bogey on the 12th tempered her momentum before unleashing a strong windup to post a second straight three-under card.
Reflecting on her tournament, the ICTSI-backed del Rosario acknowledged initial nerves due to recent swing adjustments.
"Honestly, I was nervous. We made a few changes to my swing, so I wasn't entirely comfortable with it yet," she said.
"But I was happy I was able to perform and score well," said del Rosario, the first Filipina to win on the TLPGA in 2017.
After opening with a 71 and improving to a 69 in the second round, she was pleased to finish strong despite missing out on her title hopes.
Other Filipino players also made notable showings, with Florence Bisera rallying with a 70 to tie for 27th at 216, Mikha Fortuna carding a 73 for joint 37th at 217, Chanelle Avaricio dropping to 50th at 221 with a 76, and Mafy Singson rounding out the field at 53rd with a 223 after a 77. TMT